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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. object — a thing
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. firm — decided
  7. scale — in music
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. scale — size or range
  10. firm — a company
  11. swing — in golf
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. firm — steady
  16. object — an aim
  17. stand — to bear
  18. swing — music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. object — to protest
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. swing — to play on

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