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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. ground — crushed
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rest — what's left
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ground — the earth
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. foot — a measure
  16. kick — in football
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. rest — a break
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ground — a position
  24. can — a tin

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