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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. firm — steady
  6. row — a line
  7. staff — a stick
  8. kid — to tease
  9. row — to paddle
  10. firm — a company
  11. staff — employees
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. firm — decided
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kid — child
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. staff — employees
  21. game — wild animals
  22. can — to be able to
  23. game — a match
  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