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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 124 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. firm — decided
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. root — the cause
  5. toast — bread
  6. firm — a company
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stock — goods
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. wound — an injury
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bank — for money
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. firm — steady
  23. bank — for money
  24. calf — a young animal

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