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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bark — to shout
  6. suit — clothes
  7. roll — a cake
  8. firm — a company
  9. current — happening now
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. rule — a law
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. current — electric
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. firm — steady
  19. rule — government
  20. rock — music
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. current — of water
  23. suit — in cards
  24. firm — decided

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