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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. row — a line
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. can — to be able to
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. pass — a permit
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — of water
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. can — a tin
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. spring — a coil
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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