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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pop — to visit
  3. firm — steady
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. firm — decided
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. firm — a company
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pop — soda
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pop — music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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