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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. land — ground
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fine — all right
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. land — to come down
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. can — a tin
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — a tin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. land — a country

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