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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. shower — rain
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cold — an illness
  8. rest — a break
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mine — for digging
  11. suit — to fit
  12. can — to be able to
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rest — what's left
  15. craft — a skill
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — boats
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cold — not warm
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. suit — clothes

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