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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. firm — a company
  5. snap — to click
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bore — to tire
  13. court — of a king
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mug — a face
  16. court — of law
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bore — to drill
  19. firm — decided
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rash — hasty
  24. court — for sport

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