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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. face — to point toward
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. suit — clothes
  9. face — to confront
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mine — for digging
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ground — a position
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. club — for golf
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ground — crushed
  19. club — a group
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — a tin
  23. ground — the earth
  24. can — to be able to

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