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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lie — to recline
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rush — hurry
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. can — a tin
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. tube — a container
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. can — to be able to
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bank — of a river
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. squash — to crush
  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