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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. present — there
  9. kid — to tease
  10. present — a gift
  11. lean — thin
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — to bend
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. present — the time now
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kid — child
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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