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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rash — a series
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. net — in sport
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. court — for sport
  12. suit — to fit
  13. firm — steady
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. roll — a list
  17. suit — in cards
  18. roll — a cake
  19. net — after costs
  20. court — of a king
  21. firm — decided
  22. net — for catching
  23. court — of law
  24. bark — to shout

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