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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bound — tied together
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bulb — for light
  8. net — in sport
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. hand — in cards
  11. can — a tin
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. net — for catching
  15. rash — hasty
  16. net — after costs
  17. rash — a series
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bulb — for light
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bound — certain
  22. pit — a hole
  23. hand — help
  24. rash — on the skin

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