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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. vault — a safe
  5. file — a tool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. file — a document
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bark — to shout
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — a container
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — a list
  19. chair — a leader
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. firm — decided
  22. file — a line of people
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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