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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. can — a tin
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. charge — electricity
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. scale — in music
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. can — a tin
  12. ball — a dance
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wake — a trail
  17. charge — a price
  18. dip — to sink
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ball — a great time
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. racket — for tennis

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