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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 120 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. can — a tin
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. can — to be able to
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fall — to drop
  10. file — a document
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. can — a tin
  14. cell — a phone
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. squash — to crush
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pop — music
  19. squash — the sport
  20. fall — the season
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pop — soda
  23. file — a tool
  24. cell — in biology

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