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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. can — a tin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. scale — in music
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. scale — size or range
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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