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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. kick — in football
  6. wind — moving air
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. roll — a cake
  10. wind — moving air
  11. can — to be able to
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. game — a match
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. can — a tin
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. game — wild animals
  22. roll — a list
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wind — to turn a key

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