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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. court — for sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pound — a weight
  9. net — in sport
  10. can — a tin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. can — a tin
  14. court — of law
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. court — of a king
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. net — after costs
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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