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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: roll · wound · mug · bark · hide · pass · can · current

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. roll — a list
  11. mug — to rob
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. mug — a cup
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. current — of water
  19. mug — a face
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bark — to shout
  23. roll — a cake
  24. can — a tin

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