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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. charge — electricity
  8. deal — to handle
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. charge — in control
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stock — goods
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mouse — the animal

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