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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. race — the arms race
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pop — to visit
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. can — a tin
  12. pop — soda
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cap — of ice
  19. deal — to handle
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — humankind
  22. face — to confront
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. cap — a lid

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