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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. can — a tin
  5. ground — a position
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. squash — to crush
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. firm — a company
  12. ground — crushed
  13. can — to be able to
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. stock — goods
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stock — shares
  23. ground — the earth
  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