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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — ground
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. suit — in cards
  6. toast — bread
  7. can — a tin
  8. key — in music
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. key — the most important part
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. can — to be able to
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pound — a weight
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. land — a country
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — to come down
  24. deal — an agreement

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