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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mark — a trace
  5. suit — clothes
  6. branch — a division
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bark — to shout
  12. staff — employees
  13. mark — a grade
  14. tube — a container
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. tear — to rip
  17. staff — employees
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. staff — a stick
  20. suit — to fit
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. suit — in cards

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