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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. land — ground
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. staff — employees
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. staff — a stick
  7. firm — steady
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bark — to shout
  16. staff — employees
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. firm — decided
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. firm — a company

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