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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 116 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stock — shares
  5. spring — the season
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. spring — a coil
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. fine — high quality
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bark — to shout
  21. saw — the tool
  22. spring — of water
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. saw — the tool

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