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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 116 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: bark · bear · file · spring · calf · deal · cue · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cue — a hint
  5. deal — to handle
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cue — a signal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bear — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. file — a document
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spring — a coil
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bark — to shout
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. file — a tool
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — of water
  24. cue — for pool

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