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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — clothes
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. season — in sport
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. can — a tin
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. can — to be able to
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. season — of the year
  15. date — the fruit
  16. row — to paddle
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. suit — in cards
  20. deal — to handle
  21. row — a line
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. suit — to fit

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