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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cue — a signal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — in control
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a great time
  9. can — a tin
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cue — a hint
  14. file — a tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bass — the fish
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bass — low music
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a line of people
  24. charge — a price

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