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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. foot — a measure
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. last — final
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. last — finally
  9. present — a gift
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. charge — a price
  13. present — there
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. present — the time now
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. charge — in control
  18. can — a tin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. suit — clothes
  23. last — to go on
  24. can — to be able to

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