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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. can — a tin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rock — a stone
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. degree — an amount
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. fall — the season
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fall — to drop
  15. degree — temperature
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pound — a weight
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rock — music
  22. fall — to drop
  23. degree — from a university
  24. spring — the season

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