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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. drill — army training
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. branch — a division
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bear — the animal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bay — a horse colour

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