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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. scale — size or range
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kick — in football
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. scale — in music
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bulb — for light
  16. can — to be able to
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. shower — rain
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. can — a tin

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