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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. date — the fruit
  4. can — a tin
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. race — the arms race
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chip — for betting
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. race — humankind
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. race — a contest
  20. bear — the animal
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chip — to eat

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