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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mark — a grade
  7. can — to be able to
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. stock — goods
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stock — shares
  23. can — a tin
  24. bulb — of a plant

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