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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. can — to be able to
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lie — to recline
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. tube — the underground
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. can — a tin
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. swing — in golf
  17. kid — to tease
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. tube — a container
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. kid — child

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