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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · tear · firm · swing · bark · cabinet

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. fine — all right
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. swing — music
  10. firm — a company
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. swing — in golf
  15. firm — steady
  16. tear — from crying
  17. firm — decided
  18. bark — to shout

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