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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 120 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: dip · object · bark · swing · tube · spell · stand · kid

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. tube — a container
  7. object — a thing
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stand — to bear
  13. swing — in golf
  14. object — an aim
  15. spell — magic
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. swing — music
  18. object — to protest
  19. spell — letters
  20. kid — to tease
  21. tube — the underground
  22. kid — child
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. dip — to sink

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