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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 120 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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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — a container
  4. land — ground
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. land — to come down
  7. chair — a leader
  8. snap — to click
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mark — a grade
  11. land — a country
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. mark — a trace
  22. can — to be able to
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rush — a thrill

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