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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. game — wild animals
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bore — to drill
  7. can — a tin
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lean — thin
  15. rush — hurry
  16. game — a match
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bore — to tire
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. game — a kind of play

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