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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. spell — magic
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bark — to shout
  9. row — to paddle
  10. present — there
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. row — a line
  13. kid — child
  14. can — a tin
  15. present — a gift
  16. pit — a hole
  17. can — a tin
  18. present — the time now
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. spell — letters
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. row — a quarrel

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