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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mug — to rob
  3. spring — the season
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. spring — of water
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. firm — a company
  12. march — music
  13. snap — to click
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. firm — steady
  16. march — the month
  17. mug — a face
  18. spring — a coil
  19. march — the month
  20. firm — decided
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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