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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 120 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. can — a tin
  3. charge — a price
  4. can — a tin
  5. charge — in control
  6. track — a song
  7. can — to be able to
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a ring
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — to keep track
  14. suit — clothes
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. rule — a law
  18. content — happy
  19. rule — government
  20. content — the amount
  21. track — a path
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. charge — electricity
  24. suit — in cards

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