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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. firm — decided
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ground — a position
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. ground — crushed
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bark — to shout
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bay — a horse colour

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