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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. shower — rain
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. can — to be able to
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. staff — employees
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. roll — a list
  21. shower — to wash
  22. roll — a cake
  23. can — a tin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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