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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. object — a thing
  9. bear — the animal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bear — the animal
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. bark — to shout
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fine — high quality
  19. game — a match
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. dip — to sink

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