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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cap — of ice
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bark — to shout
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fine — all right
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. tube — a container
  21. cap — a lid
  22. fine — high quality
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. fork — a garden tool

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