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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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. can — to be able to
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fall — to drop
  7. kid — child
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. can — a tin
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fall — the season
  20. suit — in cards
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kid — to tease
  24. safe — a strongbox

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