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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. game — a match
  6. present — a gift
  7. chip — for betting
  8. present — there
  9. firm — steady
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. firm — a company
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rush — hurry
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. present — the time now
  21. bulb — for light
  22. firm — decided
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. game — wild animals

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