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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. club — a group
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. club — for golf
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. dip — to sink
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rush — hurry
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. firm — decided
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. firm — a company
  21. prune — to trim
  22. firm — steady
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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