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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. can — a tin
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ground — a position
  7. can — a tin
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — a trail
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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