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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. chip — for betting
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. can — a tin
  18. suit — clothes
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. suit — in cards
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. suit — to fit

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