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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. tear — to rip
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. drill — the tool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rule — a law
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. snap — to click
  14. bark — to shout
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rule — government
  19. tear — from crying
  20. drill — a practice
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bark — of a tree

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