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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: leaves · bark · pit · firm · lie · kid · can · current

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. firm — a company
  3. current — electric
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pit — a hole
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. can — a tin
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. current — of water
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. kid — child
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. firm — steady
  15. bark — to shout
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. can — a tin
  21. pit — in a race
  22. current — happening now
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. firm — decided

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