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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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. court — of a king
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. key — in music
  6. present — the time now
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mine — for digging
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cue — a hint
  11. present — a gift
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. court — for sport
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cue — a signal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. court — of law
  19. cue — for pool
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. present — there
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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