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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. chip — to eat
  4. present — a gift
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. object — a thing
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lie — to recline
  10. key — in music
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. key — the most important part
  14. present — the time now
  15. snap — to click
  16. object — to protest
  17. key — for a lock
  18. object — an aim
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. present — there
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. lie — an untruth

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