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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cell — in biology
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. firm — decided
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. track — a path
  9. cell — a phone
  10. firm — steady
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — a company
  14. track — to keep track
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. track — a song
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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