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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. row — to paddle
  5. race — a contest
  6. band — a music group
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. band — a ring
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. foot — a measure
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. race — humankind
  18. row — a line
  19. snap — to click
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bear — the animal
  24. race — the arms race

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