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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fine — all right
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mug — to rob
  5. race — humankind
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fine — high quality
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mug — a face
  16. spell — magic
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. craft — a skill
  19. race — a contest
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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