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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. track — to keep track
  6. kick — in football
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. dip — to sink
  9. track — a song
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. track — a path
  13. plane — a tool
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mark — a trace
  18. firm — a company
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. firm — decided
  21. perch — the fish
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. firm — steady
  24. mark — a grade

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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