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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. can — a tin
  5. wake — a trail
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — soda
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bear — the animal
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. saw — the tool
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pop — music

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