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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 112 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. present — the time now
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. can — a tin
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bank — of a river
  8. can — to be able to
  9. ball — a great time
  10. present — a gift
  11. bank — for money
  12. mine — for digging
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. present — there
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bank — for money
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bark — to shout
  22. can — a tin
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. ball — a dance

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