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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. date — the fruit
  3. hand — in cards
  4. firm — steady
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mark — a grade
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. hand — help
  11. firm — decided
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. capital — money
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — to shout
  20. firm — a company
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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