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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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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: swing · can · suit · stick · kick · dip · cap · object

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cap — of ice
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. swing — music
  5. object — a thing
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. kick — in football
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. object — to protest
  11. cap — a hat
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — in golf
  14. dip — to sink
  15. swing — to play on
  16. can — to be able to
  17. object — an aim
  18. suit — in cards
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. suit — clothes

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