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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bark — to shout
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. kid — child
  13. deal — to handle
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. content — happy
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. kid — to tease
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pass — a permit

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