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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ground — a position
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. march — the month
  5. bass — low music
  6. march — the month
  7. ground — the earth
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. march — music
  13. ground — crushed
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — in a race
  16. staff — employees
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. bass — the fish
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. staff — employees
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. can — a tin

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