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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. band — a ring
  3. key — the most important part
  4. charge — electricity
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. charge — in control
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lean — to bend
  11. scale — size or range
  12. lean — thin
  13. pass — a permit
  14. key — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. charge — a price
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. scale — in music
  24. band — a music group

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