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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mark — a trace
  9. row — a line
  10. firm — a company
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. row — to paddle
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bear — the animal
  21. firm — decided
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stem — to come from

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