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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — a country
  4. kick — in football
  5. bound — certain
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rest — what's left
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bound — tied together
  20. land — ground
  21. rest — a break
  22. bound — obliged
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rush — a thrill

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