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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. rock — music
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wake — a trail
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. firm — steady
  14. bark — to shout
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. firm — decided
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. perch — the fish
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rock — a stone

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