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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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. fall — the season
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pop — to visit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pop — soda
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. current — happening now
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. current — of water
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bear — the animal
  16. current — electric
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pop — music
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fall — to drop

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