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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cell — a phone
  4. saw — the tool
  5. charge — in control
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cell — in biology
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. can — a tin
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. charge — a price
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. can — a tin
  24. charge — electricity

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