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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. can — to be able to
  4. clip — for paper
  5. land — to come down
  6. can — a tin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. deal — to handle
  9. clip — a video
  10. pit — in a race
  11. clip — to cut
  12. charge — in control
  13. land — a country
  14. charge — a price
  15. pit — a hole
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. land — ground
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. prune — to trim

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