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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bulb — for light
  4. can — a tin
  5. tear — to rip
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — for betting
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. can — to be able to
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fine — high quality
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. fine — all right
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. fine — a penalty

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