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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. object — a thing
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bass — the fish
  8. shower — rain
  9. cell — a phone
  10. object — an aim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bore — to tire
  14. can — to be able to
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. cell — in biology
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. shower — to wash
  24. object — to protest

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