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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. cue — a signal
  10. face — to confront
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rash — a series
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rash — hasty
  15. face — to point toward
  16. tear — from crying
  17. face — part of the head
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tear — from crying
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. tear — to rip
  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