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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — a tin
  4. net — in sport
  5. track — a path
  6. net — after costs
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. track — a song
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. squash — the sport
  13. track — to keep track
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mug — a face
  19. net — for catching
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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