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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. toast — bread
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. file — a tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mug — to rob
  7. wound — an injury
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. root — of a word
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. mug — a face
  16. club — a group
  17. can — a tin
  18. file — a line of people
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mug — a cup
  22. can — to be able to
  23. file — a document
  24. toast — the most admired

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