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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. can — to be able to
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. shower — rain
  10. stand — to bear
  11. can — a tin
  12. snap — to click
  13. drill — army training
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. can — a tin
  19. shower — to wash
  20. drill — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. toast — bread
  23. drill — a practice
  24. mouse — the animal

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