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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: racket · bark · wound · chair · bore · key · ball · calf

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. ball — a dance
  6. key — the most important part
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — for a lock
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bark — to shout
  11. key — in music
  12. chair — a leader
  13. ball — a great time
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bore — to drill
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — gave birth

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