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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. can — to be able to
  4. court — of a king
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. can — a tin
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bulb — for light
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of law
  19. cold — not warm
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. cold — an illness
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ruler — for measuring

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