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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. club — a group
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wind — moving air
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. club — for golf
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. can — a tin
  17. march — the month
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. can — to be able to
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rest — a break

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