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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. tube — the underground
  4. can — a tin
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pitch — completely
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — a grade
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. 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