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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. can — a tin
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mug — a face
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pit — in a race
  10. last — final
  11. last — to go on
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. last — finally
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mine — for digging
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mug — a cup

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