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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. content — the amount
  5. bark — to shout
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. dip — to sink
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. present — the time now
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. present — there
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. present — a gift
  21. content — happy
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. foot — a measure

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