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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 116 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pound — a weight
  3. fall — to drop
  4. season — of the year
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rock — music
  7. can — a tin
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. can — a tin
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. season — in sport
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pit — a hole
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fall — the season

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