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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. firm — decided
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. firm — steady
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. suit — in cards
  13. chair — a leader
  14. firm — a company
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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