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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pop — to visit
  6. lean — to bend
  7. can — a tin
  8. ground — crushed
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pop — soda
  12. ground — a position
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. can — a tin
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — steady
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pop — music
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. firm — decided
  24. ground — the earth

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