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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. snap — to click
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bulb — for light
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. object — a thing
  12. date — the fruit
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. can — to be able to
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. clip — a video
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. face — to confront
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bulb — for light
  21. clip — to cut
  22. object — to protest
  23. face — to point toward
  24. object — an aim

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