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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. present — a gift
  4. net — for catching
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. can — a tin
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pop — music
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. suit — clothes
  15. net — after costs
  16. suit — in cards
  17. net — in sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — there
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. present — the time now

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