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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spring — of water
  3. can — a tin
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. object — a thing
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. object — an aim
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. spring — the season
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. spring — a coil
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pop — music
  24. object — to protest

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