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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 124 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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rock — a stone
  4. present — there
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. present — the time now
  8. fork — in a road
  9. firm — a company
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. firm — steady
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stock — shares
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. present — a gift
  17. stock — goods
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rock — music
  20. object — an aim
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bark — to shout
  24. stock — a soup base

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