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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. can — to be able to
  5. file — a line of people
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — completely
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. file — a document
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. net — after costs
  14. can — a tin
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. net — in sport
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. net — for catching
  21. file — a tool
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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