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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bass — the fish
  5. can — a tin
  6. content — happy
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. squash — the sport
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bass — low music
  20. content — the amount
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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