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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fall — the season
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — a song
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bass — the fish
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ball — a dance
  18. can — to be able to
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bass — low music
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. ball — a round shape

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