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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. firm — a company
  5. rest — a break
  6. firm — decided
  7. bark — to shout
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stock — goods
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stock — shares
  18. firm — steady
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rush — hurry
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. wake — a trail

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