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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. can — a tin
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. band — a music group
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. can — a tin
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. squash — the sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — to fit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. can — to be able to
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. band — a ring

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