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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. degree — from a university
  6. suit — to fit
  7. degree — an amount
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fork — in a road
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. degree — temperature
  24. suit — clothes

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