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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. pit — a hole
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — to shout
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. firm — a company
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. patient — a sick person

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