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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. can — a tin
  2. pass — a permit
  3. net — for catching
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. can — to be able to
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. dip — to sink
  14. degree — temperature
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  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