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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: firm · content · bark · suit · root · pound · fine · squash

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. pound — a weight
  4. suit — in cards
  5. content — happy
  6. content — the amount
  7. firm — a company
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fine — high quality
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. root — of a word
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. suit — clothes
  15. squash — the sport
  16. root — the cause
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bark — to shout
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pound — for dogs

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