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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. can — a tin
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. can — to be able to
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stem — to come from
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. band — a music group
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. can — a tin
  18. band — a ring
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stem — of a plant

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