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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. can — a tin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ball — a great time
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. kid — child
  8. rest — a break
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. squash — the sport
  12. ball — a dance
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. can — a tin
  20. kid — to tease
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. can — to be able to

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