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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · ruler · rock · temple · pop · mug · kick · bark

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bark — to shout
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pop — music
  6. rock — music
  7. clip — to cut
  8. mug — a face
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rock — a stone
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. clip — a video
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pop — to visit
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. kick — in football
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. clip — for paper
  24. pop — soda

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