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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. dip — to sink
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bark — to shout
  15. firm — decided
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. tube — a container
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. perch — for a bird

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