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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. tear — from crying
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. snap — to click
  24. stand — on your feet

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