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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. march — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. capital — money
  5. chest — a box
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bulb — for light
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. capital — a city
  16. bulb — for light
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. march — the month
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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