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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. cell — a phone
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rock — music
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rock — a stone
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rock — to move gently

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