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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. club — a group
  3. deal — to handle
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. firm — a company
  7. bark — to shout
  8. race — a contest
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. club — for golf
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. race — humankind
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. race — the arms race
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. club — for dancing
  24. firm — decided

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