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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bass — the fish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. can — a tin
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stand — to bear
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — to be able to
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bass — low music

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