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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 116 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — to protest
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. object — a thing
  11. mate — to breed
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mate — a friend
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fork — in a road
  21. stand — to bear
  22. object — an aim
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. snap — to click

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