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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bark — to shout
  4. row — a line
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. club — for golf
  10. row — to paddle
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stand — to bear
  15. club — a group
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. club — for dancing
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stand — for spectators

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