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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. object — an aim
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. can — a tin
  5. current — of water
  6. can — to be able to
  7. last — finally
  8. current — happening now
  9. scale — size or range
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. can — a tin
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. object — a thing
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. last — to go on
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. wound — an injury
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. last — final
  22. current — electric
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. object — to protest

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