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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. roll — a list
  5. kick — in football
  6. firm — a company
  7. can — a tin
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. kid — child
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. firm — decided
  14. kid — to tease
  15. firm — steady
  16. squash — to crush
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. roll — a cake
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — a measure

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