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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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — to come down
  3. firm — decided
  4. can — to be able to
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. land — ground
  11. can — a tin
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bank — for money
  17. ball — a dance
  18. land — a country
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. bank — for money
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ground — a position
  24. bank — of a river

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