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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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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bound — obliged
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. can — to be able to
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. ball — a round shape

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