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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. land — to come down
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. can — a tin
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. land — ground
  10. file — a document
  11. bore — to drill
  12. foot — a measure
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. stand — to bear
  19. can — to be able to
  20. land — a country
  21. bore — to tire
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. file — a tool

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