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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. hand — in cards
  3. band — a ring
  4. mug — a face
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — a company
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. band — a music group
  11. hand — help
  12. firm — steady
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. can — a tin
  15. track — a song
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — a path
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. firm — decided
  20. mug — a cup
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mug — to rob
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. track — to keep track

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