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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. object — an aim
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. face — to confront
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pound — a weight
  17. can — a tin
  18. present — there
  19. face — to point toward
  20. present — a gift
  21. bark — to shout
  22. present — the time now
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pound — for dogs

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