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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. current — electric
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — a container
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — to fit
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pound — a weight
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. suit — in cards
  14. current — happening now
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. current — of water
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — to shout
  21. can — a tin
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mine — for digging
  24. can — a tin

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