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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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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: present · can · firm · band · deal · bark · cabinet · hide

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. present — there
  3. band — a ring
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. firm — a company
  7. present — the time now
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. can — to be able to
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. present — a gift
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. band — a music group

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