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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. can — a tin
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — to shout
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. race — a contest
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. race — humankind
  24. can — to be able to

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