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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. can — a tin
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bound — certain
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. can — a tin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lean — to bend
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bass — the fish
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lean — thin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. suit — clothes

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