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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. firm — steady
  4. saw — the tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. file — a line of people
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stand — to bear
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. file — a tool
  13. mug — a face
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. file — a document
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. firm — a company
  21. bark — to shout
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. chair — a leader
  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