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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. drill — the tool
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. plane — a tool
  8. face — to confront
  9. can — to be able to
  10. face — part of the head
  11. lean — thin
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — all right
  14. can — a tin
  15. drill — a practice
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fine — high quality
  19. prune — to trim
  20. drill — army training
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lean — to bend
  24. face — to point toward

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