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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fall — the season
  4. game — wild animals
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. root — the cause
  8. fall — to drop
  9. game — a match
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. can — to be able to
  14. band — a ring
  15. ball — a dance
  16. can — a tin
  17. band — a music group
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fall — to drop
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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