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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: tube · roll · snap · can · ground · suit · craft · jam

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. suit — in cards
  7. snap — to click
  8. suit — clothes
  9. roll — a cake
  10. craft — a skill
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — a position
  14. roll — a list
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. can — a tin
  18. ground — crushed
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. craft — boats
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. can — to be able to
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. tube — the underground

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