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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cap — a lid
  11. field — farmland
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. can — a tin
  14. field — for sport
  15. face — to confront
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. field — a subject
  18. cap — of ice
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. can — to be able to
  21. face — to point toward
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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