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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bark — to shout
  8. key — in music
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. capital — a city
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. capital — money
  18. club — for golf
  19. stand — to bear
  20. club — for dancing
  21. key — for a lock
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. club — a group
  24. calf — a young animal

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