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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pop — to visit
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pop — soda
  8. land — a country
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — ground
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rest — what's left
  19. land — to come down
  20. rest — a break
  21. pop — music
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. charge — electricity

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