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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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mug — to rob
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stock — shares
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. firm — decided
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bark — to shout
  13. wound — an injury
  14. firm — a company
  15. spell — magic
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. firm — steady
  18. stock — goods
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bore — to drill
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mug — a face
  24. bore — to tire

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