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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. can — a tin
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. squash — to crush
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. root — of a plant
  8. squash — the sport
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. club — for golf
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. club — for dancing
  18. can — to be able to
  19. firm — steady
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. root — of a word
  22. club — a group
  23. branch — a division
  24. root — the cause

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