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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: fork · present · pitcher · toast · cabinet · ruler · ground · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ground — a position
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. ground — the earth
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. ground — crushed
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. toast — bread
  14. present — a gift
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. present — there
  18. present — the time now
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. can — a tin

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