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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mug — a cup
  3. swing — in golf
  4. charge — electricity
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — a friend
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — to come from
  10. swing — music
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — a price
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mate — to breed
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. file — a line of people
  22. swing — to play on
  23. mug — a face
  24. charge — in control

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