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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. firm — a company
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. firm — decided
  5. bound — obliged
  6. current — of water
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wax — to grow
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. current — happening now
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. current — electric
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bound — certain
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stem — to come from
  20. perch — the fish
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. firm — steady
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bound — tied together

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