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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. face — to confront
  4. pop — soda
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. can — a tin
  9. mug — a cup
  10. spring — of water
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mug — a face
  13. spring — the season
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. spring — a coil
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. face — to point toward
  21. mug — to rob
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. chair — a leader
  24. racket — for tennis

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