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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. can — a tin
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rest — a break
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rest — what's left
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. row — a line
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. can — a tin
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. ruler — a monarch

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