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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bank — for money
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. lie — to recline
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. snap — to click
  10. firm — steady
  11. last — finally
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bank — for money
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bark — to shout
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — decided
  21. mark — a grade
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. mark — to pay attention

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