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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. charge — a price
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — a tin
  8. date — the fruit
  9. can — to be able to
  10. charge — in control
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. clip — a video
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bank — for money
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bank — for money
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. clip — to cut
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bank — of a river

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