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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — to breed
  3. can — a tin
  4. mate — a friend
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — there
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. suit — to fit
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. suit — in cards
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. can — to be able to
  19. suit — clothes
  20. clip — to cut
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — for paper
  24. present — a gift

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