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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. face — to point toward
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. can — a tin
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. face — to confront
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — the fish
  21. foot — a measure
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cabinet — ministers

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