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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 124 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. club — for golf
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pop — to visit
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. track — a path
  13. bore — to drill
  14. club — a group
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. squash — the sport
  18. club — for dancing
  19. track — a song
  20. bore — to tire
  21. can — a tin
  22. lie — to recline
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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