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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. can — a tin
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. charge — electricity
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. key — in music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stem — to come from
  14. key — the most important part
  15. can — to be able to
  16. firm — decided
  17. mate — to breed
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bore — to drill
  21. charge — a price
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. charge — in control
  24. mate — a friend

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