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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 124 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. land — ground
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. object — to protest
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. hand — help
  9. object — a thing
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. suit — in cards
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. object — an aim
  20. land — a country
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. land — to come down
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rush — hurry

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