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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. can — a tin
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bound — certain
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bound — tied together

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