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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bark — to shout
  10. degree — temperature
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. club — a group
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. can — a tin
  15. club — for golf
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. club — for dancing
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. degree — from a university

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