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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. scale — in music
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pop — soda
  11. scale — size or range
  12. drill — army training
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pop — music
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pop — to visit
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. can — a tin
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ruler — for measuring

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