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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. season — of the year
  4. club — a group
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. season — in sport
  7. current — electric
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a great time
  12. club — for golf
  13. can — a tin
  14. roll — a list
  15. roll — a cake
  16. ball — a dance
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. club — for dancing
  19. current — happening now
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. current — of water
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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