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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. can — to be able to
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. can — a tin
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. charge — electricity
  9. date — the fruit
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mine — for digging
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — a price
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chest — of your body
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. charge — in control
  24. rush — hurry

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