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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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468
Word bank
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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — to breed
  3. can — a tin
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mug — to rob
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. field — farmland
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. field — for sport
  11. mug — a cup
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. key — the most important part
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — money
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pit — in a race
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. capital — a city
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mug — a face
  24. field — a subject

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