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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mark — a trace
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rule — a law
  7. land — to come down
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. firm — a company
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. can — a tin
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a document
  15. firm — steady
  16. file — a line of people
  17. land — a country
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rule — government
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. firm — decided
  22. land — ground
  23. mark — a grade
  24. can — a tin

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