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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. snap — to click
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. firm — steady
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. firm — a company
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. scale — in music
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. firm — decided
  22. key — the most important part
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rush — to hurry

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