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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. file — a tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. last — finally
  5. last — final
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bulb — for light
  8. game — wild animals
  9. key — the most important part
  10. file — a line of people
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. stand — to bear
  14. game — a match
  15. kick — in football
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. key — in music
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. file — a document
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — a tin
  22. last — to go on
  23. key — for a lock
  24. kick — a thrill

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