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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. track — a path
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. toast — bread
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. track — a song
  15. cap — a lid
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. snap — to click
  23. track — to keep track
  24. can — to be able to

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