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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pop — soda
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ball — a dance
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. suit — in cards
  9. can — a tin
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — clothes
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. perch — the fish
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pop — music
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rush — hurry

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