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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. hand — in cards
  5. land — ground
  6. bass — low music
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bass — the fish
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. land — to come down
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. can — a tin
  20. squash — the sport
  21. land — a country
  22. hand — help
  23. squash — to crush
  24. can — a tin

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