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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. sharp — clever
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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