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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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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: lie · rash · dip · mark · mug · sharp · drill · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. rash — a series
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. drill — a practice
  6. dip — to sink
  7. drill — army training
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mug — a face
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bark — to shout
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. drill — the tool
  24. mark — a trace

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