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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mate — a friend
  3. can — a tin
  4. mate — a partner
  5. saw — the tool
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. land — a country
  8. mate — to breed
  9. can — to be able to
  10. land — ground
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. land — to come down
  17. suit — in cards
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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