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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. can — a tin
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rock — music
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bound — tied together
  8. can — a tin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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