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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. object — an aim
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bear — the animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. object — to protest
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wake — a trail
  16. object — a thing
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. club — for dancing
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cap — a lid
  21. club — for golf
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. can — a tin
  24. club — a group

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