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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: squash · bark · file · bear · mark · temple · tube · firm

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. firm — decided
  3. file — a document
  4. squash — the sport
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. tube — the underground
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. tube — a container
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bear — the animal
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. mark — to pay attention

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