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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. firm — decided
  3. can — to be able to
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — all right
  8. wound — an injury
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. can — a tin
  13. wound — an injury
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. firm — a company
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. firm — steady
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pass — to succeed

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