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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. firm — steady
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. key — the most important part
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. firm — a company
  10. foot — a measure
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. saw — the tool
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bark — to shout
  19. prune — to trim
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — for a lock
  22. firm — decided
  23. key — in music
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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