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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. clip — a video
  4. firm — steady
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mug — a face
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. firm — decided
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. firm — a company
  16. clip — to cut
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rock — music
  20. stock — goods
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bank — for money
  24. bark — to shout

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