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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bark — to shout
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mark — a grade
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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