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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bark — to shout
  4. can — a tin
  5. clip — to cut
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. present — the time now
  9. tear — from crying
  10. can — a tin
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pound — a weight
  13. snap — to click
  14. clip — a video
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. tear — to rip
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fork — to eat with

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