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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wound — an injury
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rest — a break
  13. can — a tin
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — in cards
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. hand — help
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. foot — a measure

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