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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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. deal — an agreement
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. suit — in cards
  6. deal — to handle
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — clothes
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — to fit
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — a tin
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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