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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bark — to shout
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. firm — decided
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wind — moving air

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