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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fine — all right
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. firm — a company
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. ground — a position
  18. fine — high quality
  19. firm — steady
  20. ground — the earth
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. firm — decided
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. rush — a thrill

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