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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. object — to protest
  3. drill — army training
  4. object — a thing
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. object — an aim
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mug — a face
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. net — after costs
  15. bark — to shout
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. net — for catching
  20. snap — to click
  21. drill — a practice
  22. net — in sport
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. drill — the tool

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