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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. prune — to trim
  7. swing — to play on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ground — the earth
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ground — a position
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — thin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — music
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lean — to rest against

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