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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 116 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. object — an aim
  4. club — a group
  5. object — a thing
  6. tear — from crying
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. object — to protest
  9. firm — steady
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. row — a line
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. tear — to rip
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. firm — decided
  21. club — for golf
  22. row — to paddle
  23. firm — a company
  24. row — a quarrel

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