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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. can — to be able to
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. can — a tin
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. can — a tin
  10. file — a document
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. file — a line of people
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. file — a tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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