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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. firm — decided
  2. stock — goods
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mug — a face
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bark — to shout
  10. track — a path
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. track — a song
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. plane — a tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. stock — shares
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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