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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bat — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — clothes
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — to recline
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rash — a series
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. can — a tin
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rash — hasty
  20. perch — the fish
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bat — in an idiom

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