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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · bark · tube · bay · jam · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. tube — a container
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. tube — the underground
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. can — a tin
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. date — the fruit
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. can — to be able to

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