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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. net — in sport
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bark — to shout
  6. net — after costs
  7. can — a tin
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. game — a match
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. net — for catching
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. can — to be able to
  24. game — a kind of play

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