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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 120 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. game — wild animals
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. kick — in football
  9. present — the time now
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. drill — a practice
  12. present — there
  13. firm — a company
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. present — a gift
  18. game — a match
  19. drill — army training
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — the underground
  24. firm — decided

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