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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. jam — in traffic
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. net — for catching
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. spring — of water
  8. net — in sport
  9. staff — a stick
  10. current — electric
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. spring — the season
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. current — happening now
  15. staff — employees
  16. current — of water
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. net — after costs
  19. staff — employees
  20. spring — a coil
  21. firm — a company
  22. bark — to shout
  23. mouse — the animal
  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