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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. can — a tin
  5. chip — to eat
  6. land — a country
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. land — ground
  10. pass — a permit
  11. land — to come down
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. chip — for betting
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bank — for money
  17. can — to be able to
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. saw — the tool
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. saw — the tool

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