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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. kick — in football
  4. pit — in a race
  5. object — a thing
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. roll — a cake
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. object — an aim
  15. pit — a hole
  16. fine — all right
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. can — a tin
  19. fine — high quality
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. object — to protest
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. roll — a list
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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