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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. can — a tin
  4. cap — of ice
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cap — a hat
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mine — for digging
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. cap — a lid
  17. staff — employees
  18. prune — to trim
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. tube — a container
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. can — to be able to
  24. staff — employees

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