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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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. leaves — to go away
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. date — the fruit
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. can — a tin
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. leaves — of a tree

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