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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tube — a container
  4. charge — electricity
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. court — of law
  7. dip — to sink
  8. charge — a price
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. charge — in control
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. can — a tin
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — for sport
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. can — to be able to
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. kick — in football
  24. tube — the underground

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