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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rock — a stone
  4. can — to be able to
  5. land — to come down
  6. roll — a list
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. spring — a coil
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bulb — for light
  15. can — a tin
  16. spring — the season
  17. toast — bread
  18. spring — of water
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bulb — for light
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bulb — of a plant

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