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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: fan · net · pass · can · bear · rest · hand · key

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hand — help
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. net — for catching
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bear — the animal
  10. key — in music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rest — what's left
  17. net — after costs
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. rest — a break
  24. net — in sport

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