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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. can — a tin
  3. pop — soda
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. can — a tin
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pop — music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pop — to visit
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. fall — the season
  22. mate — to breed
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fan — a supporter

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