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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. mine — for digging
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. can — to be able to
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cell — a phone
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a tool
  23. swing — music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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