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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. can — a tin
  4. hand — help
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. can — to be able to
  7. charge — in control
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — in sport
  14. charge — electricity
  15. net — after costs
  16. charge — a price
  17. net — for catching
  18. hand — in cards

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