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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: wake · present · can · foot · snap · temple · bark · clip

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. clip — to cut
  5. can — a tin
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. clip — a video
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. clip — for paper
  13. snap — to click
  14. can — a tin
  15. present — there
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. can — to be able to
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. present — a gift
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. present — the time now
  24. foot — a measure

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