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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bat — the animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. plane — a tool
  8. land — ground
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. can — a tin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. land — to come down
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rock — music
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. can — to be able to
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. land — a country

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