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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: lie · bark · cap · object · pitcher · game · pound · arm

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. object — a thing
  3. game — wild animals
  4. object — an aim
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cap — a hat
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cap — of ice
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. game — a match
  22. object — to protest
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bark — to shout

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