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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — electricity
  5. band — a music group
  6. can — a tin
  7. content — the amount
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. band — a ring
  13. chip — to eat
  14. charge — in control
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. charge — a price
  17. chip — for betting
  18. can — a tin
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. can — to be able to

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