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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: march · press · firm · bark · foot · mark · safe · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. firm — decided
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. press — to push
  11. bark — to shout
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. press — a publisher
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. firm — steady
  20. march — the month
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. firm — a company

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