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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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 — to shout
  2. capital — a city
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mug — a face
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. present — there
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. present — the time now
  12. capital — money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. snap — to click
  17. mug — a cup
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. present — a gift
  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