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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. firm — decided
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rule — a law
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. firm — steady
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. stock — shares
  14. bark — to shout
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stock — goods
  20. firm — a company
  21. rule — government
  22. rock — music
  23. lash — to lash out
  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