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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lean — thin
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. key — the most important part
  19. can — a tin
  20. rest — a break
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bat — the animal

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