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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cap — of ice
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. rock — a stone
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. band — a ring
  15. can — a tin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. band — a music group
  20. rock — music
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. fall — the season
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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