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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.

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: content · rash · fine · bay · bark · ground · firm · bore

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. firm — steady
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rash — a series
  5. ground — a position
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fine — high quality
  11. firm — decided
  12. content — the amount
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. content — happy
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. firm — a company
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. fine — all right
  24. content — videos and posts

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