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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — in music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. mate — a partner
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bound — tied together
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. can — a tin
  15. mate — a friend
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bark — to shout
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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