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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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 — a tin
  2. drill — army training
  3. track — to keep track
  4. ground — a position
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ground — crushed
  12. can — a tin
  13. drill — the tool
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ground — the earth
  21. chip — to eat
  22. drill — a practice
  23. chip — in a computer
  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