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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. can — a tin
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — music
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — in biology
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. season — in sport
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. scale — in music
  24. cell — a phone

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