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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. board — a committee
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. can — a tin
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. snap — to click
  12. can — to be able to
  13. shower — to wash
  14. mark — a grade
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. board — to get on
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. shower — rain

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