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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bark — to shout
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. firm — decided
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. chair — to sit on

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