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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. craft — boats
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lean — thin
  8. kick — in football
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bound — tied together
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bound — certain
  18. bore — to tire
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bore — to drill
  22. craft — a skill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bark — of a tree

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