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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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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. squash — the sport
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. prune — to trim
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mine — for digging
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. squash — to crush
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. can — to be able to
  24. chest — a box

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