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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. game — wild animals
  3. can — a tin
  4. cap — a lid
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. row — to paddle
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. game — a match
  12. row — a line
  13. bass — the fish
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. cap — of ice
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bass — low music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mouse — the animal

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