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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. can — to be able to
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bulb — for light
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — tied together
  12. spell — letters
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — in sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. spell — magic
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bound — certain
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. season — of the year
  23. spell — a short time
  24. straw — a straw man

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