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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. squash — to crush
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. degree — from a university
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. degree — an amount
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. perch — the fish
  19. can — a tin
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. degree — temperature
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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