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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. swing — music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rule — government
  6. bark — to shout
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. craft — boats
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. snap — to click
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rest — a break
  14. swing — in golf
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rule — a law
  18. rest — what's left
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rest — what's left
  23. can — a tin
  24. bowl — a football final

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