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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. can — a tin
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. degree — an amount
  8. stock — shares
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stock — goods
  13. charge — in control
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — of a river
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — temperature
  24. charge — a price

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