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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. object — an aim
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — to shout
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bank — of a river
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. object — a thing
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. object — to protest
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bay — a horse colour

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