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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cue — a signal
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. content — the amount
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — to handle
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cue — a hint
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cue — for pool
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. content — happy
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. can — a tin
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. fan — a supporter

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