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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — thin
  8. game — wild animals
  9. key — in music
  10. mug — to rob
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mug — a face
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. mug — a cup
  22. game — a match
  23. key — the most important part
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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