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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. can — a tin
  6. last — finally
  7. object — to protest
  8. last — to go on
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. object — an aim
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. band — a ring
  16. last — final
  17. object — a thing
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. band — a music group
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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