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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stock — shares
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bark — to shout
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. charge — electricity
  10. toast — bread
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. charge — in control
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stock — goods
  18. squash — to crush
  19. charge — a price
  20. content — the amount
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. content — happy
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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