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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. suit — in cards
  6. can — a tin
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cue — a hint
  10. kick — in football
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. can — a tin
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. land — ground
  20. cue — a signal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bear — to put up with

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