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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. spell — letters
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — all right
  7. season — in sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. net — for catching
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mug — a face
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. spell — magic
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fine — high quality
  18. net — after costs
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. spell — a short time
  21. season — of the year
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. net — in sport

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