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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitch — completely
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. can — to be able to
  10. band — a music group
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bass — low music
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rush — hurry
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. band — a ring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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