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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. track — a song
  6. bank — for money
  7. mine — for digging
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — a tin
  12. track — a path
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. rest — a break
  20. can — to be able to
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rest — what's left
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pitch — a sports field

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