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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. drill — a practice
  3. stand — to bear
  4. craft — boats
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kick — in football
  7. drill — army training
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mark — a trace
  11. dip — to sink
  12. drill — the tool
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mark — a grade
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bark — to shout
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lie — an untruth

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