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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pit — in a race
  7. can — a tin
  8. mate — a friend
  9. clip — to cut
  10. mug — a face
  11. can — to be able to
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. spring — the season
  14. mug — to rob
  15. clip — for paper
  16. court — for sport
  17. spring — of water
  18. mate — a partner
  19. clip — a video
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mate — to breed
  23. court — of law
  24. court — of a king

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