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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mark — a grade
  9. firm — steady
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rest — a break
  14. pop — soda
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rest — what's left
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. present — there
  23. pop — music
  24. calf — a young 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