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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bank — for money
  5. kick — in football
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bank — for money
  8. land — ground
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fine — all right
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. land — a country
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. date — the fruit
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bear — the animal
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. fine — high quality
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bear — the animal
  23. land — to come down
  24. bark — to shout

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