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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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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. squash — the sport
  4. staff — employees
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cue — for pool
  10. squash — to crush
  11. can — a tin
  12. track — a path
  13. cue — a signal
  14. hand — help
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a song
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mine — for digging
  21. staff — employees
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. hand — in cards
  24. squash — the vegetable

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