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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. current — of water
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bass — low music
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rock — music
  15. club — for dancing
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bass — the fish
  19. current — happening now
  20. club — a group
  21. wound — an injury
  22. club — for golf
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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