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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pop — to visit
  6. court — of a king
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. court — for sport
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. row — to paddle
  14. can — a tin
  15. court — of law
  16. can — a tin
  17. row — a line
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cap — a hat

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