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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. can — a tin
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. shower — rain
  15. board — to get on
  16. pound — a weight
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mark — a trace
  24. shower — to wash

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