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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ground — a position
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. drill — army training
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. drill — the tool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. can — a tin
  9. ground — the earth
  10. can — a tin
  11. craft — boats
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. drill — a practice
  15. wind — moving air
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bass — the fish
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bass — low music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ground — crushed
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wind — moving air

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