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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bound — obliged
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ball — a dance
  6. race — humankind
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. squash — the sport
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. can — a tin
  11. fork — in a road
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. mark — a grade
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — certain
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — a contest
  19. mark — a trace
  20. squash — to crush
  21. ball — a great time
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mark — to pay attention

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