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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. spell — letters
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. firm — a company
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. spell — magic
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. row — a line
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — to shout

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