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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. land — ground
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. row — to paddle
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. land — a country
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. land — to come down
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. present — there
  20. present — the time now
  21. row — a line
  22. present — a gift
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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