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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. firm — steady
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — shares
  10. content — the amount
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. capital — money
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. board — a committee
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stock — goods
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. board — to get on
  20. content — happy
  21. capital — a city
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bark — to shout
  24. firm — a company

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