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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — clothes
  3. firm — a company
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spring — the season
  7. can — a tin
  8. spring — of water
  9. firm — steady
  10. can — to be able to
  11. sharp — clever
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. suit — in cards
  14. spring — a coil
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. chest — of your body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. firm — decided
  21. chest — of your body
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chest — a box
  24. suit — to fit

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