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

Word bank: club · pit · snap · present · bark · mate · mouse · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mate — a friend
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. mate — a partner
  7. club — a group
  8. present — there
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. dip — a sauce

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