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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mate — a friend
  3. charge — a price
  4. object — a thing
  5. charge — in control
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cap — a hat
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rest — what's left
  15. can — to be able to
  16. march — music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rock — music
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. mate — a partner

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