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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. tube — a container
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bass — the fish
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. court — for sport
  17. bass — low music
  18. can — a tin
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. court — of law
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bound — certain
  24. court — of a king

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