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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pitch — completely
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. last — final
  11. can — a tin
  12. last — finally
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. track — to keep track
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. foot — a measure
  18. track — a path
  19. hand — help
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. last — to go on
  22. track — a song
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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