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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. row — to paddle
  3. can — a tin
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. foot — a measure
  10. content — the amount
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bark — to shout
  13. row — a line
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. content — happy
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. kick — in football
  21. can — a tin
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bark — of a tree

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