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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
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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: rule · bass · sharp · bark · bear · perch · firm · chip

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. firm — a company
  7. rule — a law
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bass — low music
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bass — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rule — government
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. firm — steady
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. chip — to eat
  20. sharp — clever
  21. firm — decided
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bear — the animal
  24. perch — the fish

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