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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — a tin
  6. present — a gift
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bark — to shout
  10. perch — the fish
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. present — the time now
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pitch — completely
  18. present — there
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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