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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pop — soda
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. tube — the underground
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — to confront
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stock — shares
  17. game — a match
  18. stock — goods
  19. pop — to visit
  20. tube — a container
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pop — music
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. tube — in a tire

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