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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — farmland
  4. shower — rain
  5. present — a gift
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cue — a hint
  8. shower — to wash
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — a thing
  11. can — to be able to
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. object — an aim
  15. field — a subject
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. present — there
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. present — the time now
  22. cue — for pool
  23. can — a tin
  24. cue — a signal

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