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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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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — a video
  6. object — an aim
  7. shower — to wash
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. object — a thing
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. face — to point toward
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. face — part of the head
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. shower — rain
  17. object — to protest
  18. face — to confront
  19. clip — for paper
  20. foot — a measure
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. can — a tin
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. safe — out of danger

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