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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mate — a friend
  10. prune — to trim
  11. root — the cause
  12. vault — a safe
  13. suit — clothes
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. can — a tin
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — of a word
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. cabinet — ministers

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