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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — to come down
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. object — a thing
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — an aim
  9. land — ground
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ball — a dance
  14. land — a country
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lean — thin
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. can — to be able to
  22. object — to protest
  23. ball — a great time
  24. can — a tin

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