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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: saw · spell · tube · hide · fan · stand · cap · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. cap — of ice
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. spell — a short time
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. tube — the underground
  11. can — a tin
  12. spell — magic
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spell — letters
  18. cap — a lid
  19. can — to be able to
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cap — a hat
  24. tube — a container

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