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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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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. swing — in golf
  3. firm — decided
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. chip — for betting
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rule — government
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rule — a law
  12. swing — music
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. rule — to rule out

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