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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 120 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — a tin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. pass — a permit
  11. band — a music group
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. can — a tin
  15. firm — decided
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. band — a ring
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. firm — steady
  21. land — ground
  22. firm — a company
  23. lean — thin
  24. fan — a supporter

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