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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. roll — a list
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. foot — a measure
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. lean — to bend
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. last — to go on
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. roll — a cake
  19. club — for dancing
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. last — final
  22. last — finally
  23. lean — thin
  24. foot — part of the body

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