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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. swing — to play on
  3. suit — clothes
  4. club — a group
  5. charge — a price
  6. can — to be able to
  7. object — to protest
  8. suit — to fit
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. charge — electricity
  12. swing — music
  13. rest — a break
  14. hand — help
  15. object — a thing
  16. club — for dancing
  17. swing — in golf
  18. can — a tin
  19. charge — in control
  20. rest — what's left
  21. club — for golf
  22. object — an aim
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rest — what's left

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