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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. spell — magic
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bark — to shout
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. ground — the earth
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. fork — in a road
  22. ground — a position
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. leaves — 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