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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.

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: firm · bank · nail · rash · chair · net · bark · present

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. chair — a leader
  3. rash — a series
  4. firm — decided
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. net — in sport
  7. bank — of a river
  8. net — after costs
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. bark — to shout
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. present — the time now
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. firm — steady
  20. rash — hasty
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. firm — a company
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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