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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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bank — for money
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bank — of a river
  9. spell — letters
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spell — magic
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bank — for money
  21. wound — an injury
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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