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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — after costs
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bark — to shout
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. net — in sport
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bear — the animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — a trail
  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