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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: scale · tube · spell · can · pop · racket · saw · object

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pop — soda
  4. can — a tin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pop — to visit
  7. can — to be able to
  8. spell — letters
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spell — a short time
  12. object — an aim
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pop — music
  15. object — to protest
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. saw — the tool
  18. scale — in music
  19. tube — a container
  20. spell — magic
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. object — a thing
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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