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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — a stone
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — completely
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rule — a law
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rule — government
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. net — after costs
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rock — music
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fall — to drop

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