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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. track — a path
  4. can — a tin
  5. firm — steady
  6. court — of a king
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. court — of law
  12. tube — a container
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. track — a song
  15. firm — decided
  16. tube — the underground
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fine — high quality
  19. court — for sport
  20. firm — a company
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. track — to keep track
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bore — to drill

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