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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. can — a tin
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bear — the animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stand — to bear
  13. rush — hurry
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rush — to hurry

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