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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. can — a tin
  5. cap — of ice
  6. suit — in cards
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. can — a tin
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wound — an injury
  12. hand — in cards
  13. field — farmland
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. can — to be able to
  16. hand — help
  17. suit — to fit
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — a subject
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cap — a hat

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