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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. can — a tin
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. can — a tin
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wound — an injury

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