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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. can — a tin
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lean — thin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. mark — a grade
  9. charge — a price
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mark — a trace
  17. degree — from a university
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — completely
  20. degree — temperature
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. lean — to bend
  24. hide — animal skin

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