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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. file — a line of people
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. file — a document
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. roll — a cake
  12. can — a tin
  13. last — finally
  14. last — to go on
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rock — music
  18. file — a tool
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. roll — a list
  22. root — of a plant
  23. last — final
  24. fan — a supporter

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