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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. toast — bread
  4. saw — the tool
  5. can — a tin
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cue — a signal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. pound — a weight
  12. mine — for digging
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. cue — a hint
  15. staff — employees
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. staff — a stick
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cue — for pool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — to be able to
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pound — for dogs

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