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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. charge — in control
  3. net — after costs
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. march — the month
  6. can — a tin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fine — high quality
  9. snap — to click
  10. charge — a price
  11. march — the month
  12. net — in sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. firm — a company
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. march — music
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. firm — steady
  21. fine — all right
  22. content — happy
  23. net — for catching
  24. firm — decided

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