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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. deal — to handle
  4. ground — a position
  5. firm — steady
  6. scale — in music
  7. can — to be able to
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. firm — a company
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — to shout
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. can — a tin
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ground — crushed

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