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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. firm — steady
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. firm — a company
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. object — an aim
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rule — a law
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rule — government
  16. current — happening now
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. firm — decided
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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