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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bear — the animal
  5. file — a document
  6. swing — music
  7. file — a tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — steady
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bank — for money
  15. firm — decided
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. file — a line of people
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — in golf
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bank — for money
  24. firm — a company

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