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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. kick — in football
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. club — for golf
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wind — moving air
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. club — a group
  17. wind — moving air
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mug — a face
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. club — for dancing
  23. scale — in music
  24. stand — on your feet

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