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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rash — hasty
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. firm — decided
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. date — the fruit
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. key — the most important part
  19. firm — steady
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. squash — the sport

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