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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. craft — boats
  3. press — to push
  4. root — the cause
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. press — a publisher
  10. firm — a company
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. lie — to recline
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. root — of a word
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. chair — a leader
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. firm — steady
  19. rule — government
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rule — a law
  22. root — of a plant
  23. craft — a skill
  24. firm — decided

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