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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · saw · cap · can · fan · pit · jam · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pit — a hole
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. can — a tin
  24. cap — of ice

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