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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  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 — decided
  2. bound — certain
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. race — humankind
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. firm — steady
  8. fine — high quality
  9. firm — a company
  10. race — a contest
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — all right
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bulb — for light
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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