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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bound — tied together
  4. net — for catching
  5. object — to protest
  6. pop — soda
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. net — in sport
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pitch — completely
  11. net — after costs
  12. object — an aim
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pop — to visit
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pop — music
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. can — a tin

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