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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. race — the arms race
  3. content — happy
  4. content — the amount
  5. pound — a weight
  6. charge — in control
  7. present — a gift
  8. lie — to recline
  9. charge — electricity
  10. suit — clothes
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. present — there
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. charge — a price
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. race — humankind
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. race — a contest
  23. present — the time now
  24. hand — in cards

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