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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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468
Word bank
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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stand — to bear
  6. spring — the season
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ball — a great time
  12. spring — of water
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pit — a hole
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. can — a tin
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spring — a coil

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