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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. firm — steady
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bark — to shout
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pound — a weight
  15. fine — high quality
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. firm — a company
  21. row — a line
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. fine — all right

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