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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. can — a tin
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bark — to shout
  9. sharp — clever
  10. tube — a container
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. can — a tin
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. suit — in cards
  17. can — to be able to
  18. tube — the underground

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