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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. can — a tin
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. tube — the underground
  6. charge — electricity
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. charge — in control
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. can — to be able to
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. can — a tin
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. snap — to click
  15. stock — shares
  16. object — a thing
  17. stock — goods
  18. tube — a container
  19. charge — a price
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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