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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 120 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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. club — for dancing
  12. pit — a hole
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. club — for golf
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lean — thin
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pop — to visit
  22. lean — to bend
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bark — to shout

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