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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. deal — to handle
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. mate — a friend
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mate — to breed
  10. drill — army training
  11. can — a tin
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. tube — the underground
  14. drill — a practice
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. can — a tin
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mate — a partner
  24. drill — the tool

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