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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. file — a document
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bark — to shout
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. firm — a company
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bear — the animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. firm — decided
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. current — happening now

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