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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — to breed
  3. charge — electricity
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mate — a friend
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. content — the amount
  10. charge — a price
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. board — to get on
  13. mate — a partner
  14. can — a tin
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. board — a committee
  17. content — happy
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. can — to be able to
  22. charge — in control
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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