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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. club — a group
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. charge — a price
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fork — in a road
  10. club — for golf
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. charge — in control
  14. pass — a permit
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — to be able to
  18. shower — to wash
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. shower — rain
  22. charge — electricity
  23. club — for dancing
  24. fork — a garden tool

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