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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. firm — steady
  4. court — of a king
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. court — of law
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. firm — decided
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. court — for sport
  17. firm — a company
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. coach — a trainer

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