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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. deal — to handle
  3. row — a line
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. track — a path
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. tube — the underground
  9. squash — to crush
  10. row — to paddle
  11. track — a song
  12. key — for a lock
  13. tube — a container
  14. lean — to bend
  15. track — to keep track
  16. can — a tin
  17. lean — thin
  18. key — in music
  19. can — a tin
  20. key — the most important part
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. squash — the sport
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. deal — a big deal

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