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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fine — high quality
  7. lie — to recline
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stock — goods
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. stock — shares
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bark — to shout
  24. stock — a soup base

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