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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fork — in a road
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bass — low music
  7. snap — to click
  8. can — a tin
  9. bass — the fish
  10. object — a thing
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. object — an aim
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. object — to protest
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. mouse — the animal

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