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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ground — the earth
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. firm — decided
  6. ground — a position
  7. bark — to shout
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bank — of a river
  11. ground — crushed
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bank — for money
  14. firm — a company
  15. bulb — for light
  16. firm — steady
  17. game — a match
  18. bank — for money
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. mate — a friend
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bulb — for light

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