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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. can — a tin
  4. band — a ring
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. can — a tin
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. current — of water
  10. land — a country
  11. can — to be able to
  12. land — ground
  13. band — a music group
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. current — happening now
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. land — to come down
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. current — electric
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. pass — a permit
  24. ball — a dance

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