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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.

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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. firm — steady
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. firm — decided
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. firm — a company
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bark — to shout
  12. foot — a measure
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. foot — part of the body

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