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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. tube — a container
  3. present — there
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mate — a friend
  13. tube — the underground
  14. present — the time now
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. present — a gift
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bark — to shout

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