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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bound — tied together
  5. tube — a container
  6. current — electric
  7. ball — a great time
  8. tube — the underground
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bound — obliged
  13. can — a tin
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. current — happening now
  16. can — a tin
  17. bound — certain
  18. ball — a dance
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. current — of water
  24. hide — to keep secret

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