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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pop — soda
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. can — a tin
  7. press — to push
  8. can — a tin
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pop — music
  11. press — newspapers
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. mine — for digging
  14. roll — a cake
  15. charge — in control
  16. pop — to visit
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. roll — a list

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