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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mug — a face
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cue — a signal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stand — to bear
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. cue — a hint
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. land — to come down
  22. mug — a cup
  23. snap — to click
  24. cue — for pool

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