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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. charge — electricity
  5. suit — in cards
  6. field — for sport
  7. suit — clothes
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. charge — a price
  12. bear — the animal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — in control
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. can — a tin
  19. hand — help
  20. field — a subject
  21. fine — all right
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. field — farmland
  24. fine — high quality

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