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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. net — after costs
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. can — a tin
  6. charge — in control
  7. drill — a practice
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. net — in sport
  12. drill — army training
  13. net — for catching
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. drill — the tool
  18. temple — side of the head

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