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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. can — to be able to
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. object — an aim
  8. can — a tin
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ball — a great time
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rock — music
  15. lean — thin
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. club — for golf
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. club — a group
  24. lean — to bend

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