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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. can — a tin
  4. ground — a position
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. suit — to fit
  8. shower — to wash
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cell — in biology
  18. ground — crushed
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cell — a phone
  23. suit — in cards
  24. shower — rain

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