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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. bass — the fish
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. drill — a practice
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. drill — the tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mug — a cup
  19. drill — army training
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. pass — a permit
  23. can — a tin
  24. squash — the vegetable

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