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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mark — a grade
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. drill — the tool
  7. firm — a company
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. firm — decided
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. drill — army training
  12. track — to keep track
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. firm — steady
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fine — all right
  21. bark — to shout
  22. drill — a practice
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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