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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. cue — a hint
  7. can — a tin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. drill — army training
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. lean — thin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pitch — completely
  24. drill — a practice

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