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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. can — to be able to
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. ball — a dance
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. spring — the season
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pitch — completely
  24. can — a tin

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