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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. can — to be able to
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wound — an injury
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chest — a box
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. charge — electricity
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. charge — in control
  20. can — a tin
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. craft — boats
  23. charge — a price
  24. can — a tin

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