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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. squash — the sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wake — a trail
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. ball — a dance
  12. squash — to crush
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stand — to bear
  24. can — to be able to

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