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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. ball — a great time
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bore — to drill
  12. shower — rain
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. can — a tin
  17. shower — to wash
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. plane — in geometry

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