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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. net — for catching
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bore — to drill
  12. net — in sport
  13. game — a match
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ball — a great time
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ball — a dance
  20. game — wild animals
  21. can — a tin
  22. net — after costs
  23. can — to be able to
  24. ball — a round shape

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