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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. net — for catching
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. lean — to bend
  9. net — after costs
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. net — in sport
  13. present — a gift
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. present — the time now
  18. suit — clothes
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lean — thin
  21. suit — to fit
  22. present — there
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hand — help

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