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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. can — a tin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rock — a stone
  19. dip — to sink
  20. club — for golf
  21. snap — to click
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — music

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