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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. firm — a company
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. can — a tin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. can — a tin
  8. firm — decided
  9. capital — money
  10. can — to be able to
  11. present — the time now
  12. track — to keep track
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. track — a song
  18. capital — a city
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. present — there
  23. firm — steady
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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