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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · season · pitch · staff · bear · mark · firm · lash

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. firm — a company
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. firm — steady
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. staff — a stick
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — a trace
  20. season — of the year
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bark — to shout
  23. staff — employees
  24. firm — decided

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