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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — a price
  5. net — in sport
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bark — to shout
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. firm — steady
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — in control
  16. bear — the animal
  17. net — for catching
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. net — after costs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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