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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. can — a tin
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. can — to be able to
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. suit — clothes
  10. saw — the tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — magic
  24. saw — the tool

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