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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mate — a friend
  8. club — a group
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. club — for dancing
  14. firm — a company
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. firm — decided
  18. kid — child
  19. firm — steady
  20. current — of water
  21. club — for golf
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bowl — a football final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com