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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
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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: bark · season · club · mouse · current · bore · lie · calf

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. current — happening now
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — of the year
  9. club — a group
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. club — for golf
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. current — electric
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bark — to shout
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. current — of water
  19. season — in sport
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. lie — to recline

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