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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fork — in a road
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. toast — bread
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. tube — a container
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. can — a tin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bulb — for light
  22. saw — the tool
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. tube — in a tire

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