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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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Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bass — low music
  3. can — to be able to
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wind — moving air
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — to recline
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bat — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lie — an untruth

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