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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. content — the amount
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. content — happy
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stock — shares
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bark — to shout
  12. firm — a company
  13. pass — a permit
  14. suit — to fit
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stock — goods
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. suit — clothes
  19. firm — steady
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. roll — a list
  22. board — to get on
  23. suit — in cards
  24. roll — a cake

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