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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. season — in sport
  4. tube — the underground
  5. can — to be able to
  6. present — a gift
  7. staff — employees
  8. present — there
  9. snap — to click
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. can — a tin
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. can — a tin
  17. season — of the year
  18. staff — employees
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. tube — a container
  23. present — the time now
  24. mouse — for a computer

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