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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. plane — a tool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. chest — of your body
  11. fine — all right
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. can — a tin
  19. chest — a box
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fine — high quality

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