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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. net — after costs
  2. spell — letters
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — steady
  6. net — in sport
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. suit — clothes
  14. spell — magic
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. firm — a company
  17. net — for catching
  18. bark — to shout
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rule — a law
  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