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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. firm — decided
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mine — for digging
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bark — to shout
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rash — a series
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — a company
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. firm — steady
  21. saw — the tool
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. tube — a container

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