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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. scale — size or range
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. ground — the earth
  8. can — a tin
  9. face — to confront
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. scale — in music
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. face — part of the head
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ground — a position
  23. can — to be able to
  24. safe — out of danger

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