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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pop — soda
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. ball — a dance
  8. tube — a container
  9. can — a tin
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pop — music
  14. mark — a trace
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mark — a grade
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cap — a lid

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