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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. can — a tin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mug — a face
  8. clip — to cut
  9. can — a tin
  10. roll — a cake
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. firm — decided
  16. clip — a video
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — steady
  19. clip — for paper
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bulb — for light
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bulb — of a plant

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