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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. suit — clothes
  4. firm — steady
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bank — of a river
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bark — to shout
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. firm — decided
  13. bank — for money
  14. suit — in cards
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. key — for a lock
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bank — for money
  21. land — a country
  22. firm — a company
  23. kick — in football
  24. bat — the animal

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