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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a grade
  5. prune — to trim
  6. foot — a measure
  7. toast — bread
  8. chest — a box
  9. current — of water
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. chest — of your body
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. current — electric
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — happening now
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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