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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. snap — to click
  5. drill — a practice
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. bound — tied together
  9. drill — army training
  10. bound — certain
  11. bear — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. drill — the tool
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. key — the most important part
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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