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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bark — to shout
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. spell — letters
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. club — for golf
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. club — for dancing
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. spell — magic
  22. club — a group
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pound — a weight

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