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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. firm — a company
  3. court — for sport
  4. swing — music
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mark — a trace
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. swing — in golf
  14. firm — decided
  15. court — of a king
  16. firm — steady
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. court — of law
  21. squash — the sport
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. date — on the calendar

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