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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. tube — the underground
  4. court — of a king
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. tube — a container
  7. cue — a signal
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cue — for pool
  10. can — a tin
  11. file — a document
  12. court — of law
  13. file — a tool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. court — for sport
  16. deal — to handle
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stand — to bear
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. can — to be able to
  23. board — a committee
  24. tube — in a tire

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