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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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. season — in sport
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rest — what's left
  7. season — of the year
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. tear — from crying
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. tear — from crying
  16. key — for a lock
  17. can — a tin
  18. tear — to rip
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rest — a break
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pound — to hit hard

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