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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. firm — decided
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. charge — in control
  8. net — for catching
  9. firm — steady
  10. bark — to shout
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. mug — a face
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. net — after costs
  19. mug — a cup
  20. charge — a price
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. net — in sport
  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