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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. present — the time now
  4. suit — to fit
  5. can — a tin
  6. chip — for betting
  7. object — to protest
  8. mark — a grade
  9. object — an aim
  10. present — there
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. object — a thing
  13. march — the month
  14. present — a gift
  15. bark — to shout
  16. march — music
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. march — the month
  19. chip — to eat
  20. can — a tin
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mark — a trace
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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