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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bank — of a river
  6. object — an aim
  7. clip — a video
  8. bank — for money
  9. object — to protest
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. clip — to cut
  14. can — a tin
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. object — a thing
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bank — for money
  23. clip — for paper
  24. fork — to eat with

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