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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. firm — steady
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. craft — boats
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. craft — a skill
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. drill — army training
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stand — to bear
  22. drill — the tool
  23. prune — to trim
  24. racket — a loud noise

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