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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. cue — a signal
  4. can — a tin
  5. kid — to tease
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. snap — to click
  8. cue — for pool
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wound — an injury
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. can — to be able to
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. kid — child
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. suit — to fit
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wound — an injury

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