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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 124 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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Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. face — part of the head
  3. tube — the underground
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spell — letters
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. spell — a short time
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. face — to point toward
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. tube — a container
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — a contest
  19. stock — goods
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stock — shares
  22. face — to confront
  23. can — a tin
  24. spell — magic

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