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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chest — a box
  3. present — a gift
  4. suit — to fit
  5. charge — a price
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. can — a tin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. present — there
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. sharp — clever
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. present — the time now
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. charge — in control
  21. chest — of your body
  22. deal — to handle
  23. charge — electricity
  24. deal — a big deal

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