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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bark — to shout
  6. object — an aim
  7. root — of a plant
  8. face — to point toward
  9. can — a tin
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. face — part of the head
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. object — a thing
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. sharp — clever
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. root — of a word
  19. object — to protest
  20. root — the cause
  21. can — to be able to
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. club — for golf
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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