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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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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. tube — a container
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pit — in a race
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. can — a tin
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. wax — to grow
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pit — a hole
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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