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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a signal
  11. spring — a coil
  12. row — a line
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — bread
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. spring — of water
  18. can — a tin
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. spring — the season
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rock — music
  24. rule — a law

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