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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 116 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  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. fan — a supporter
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. can — to be able to
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. swing — to play on
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. swing — music
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. swing — in golf
  21. tube — a container
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. deal — to handle
  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