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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. key — for a lock
  10. can — a tin
  11. bark — to shout
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. key — in music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. present — the time now
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rock — a stone
  20. present — there
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rock — music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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