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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. press — to push
  15. bound — certain
  16. can — a tin
  17. press — a publisher
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fine — all right
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cap — a lid
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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