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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. can — a tin
  3. tear — to rip
  4. fine — all right
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. content — happy
  11. charge — in control
  12. content — the amount
  13. charge — electricity
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fine — high quality
  16. can — a tin
  17. chest — a box
  18. charge — a price
  19. tear — from crying
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. tear — from crying
  24. can — to be able to

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