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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. stand — to bear
  4. saw — the tool
  5. can — a tin
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mate — a partner
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. can — a tin
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bass — low music
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. saw — the tool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bark — to shout
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bass — the instrument

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