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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. charge — in control
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. clip — a video
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. clip — for paper
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. ground — crushed
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ground — the earth
  15. can — a tin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. charge — electricity
  18. can — a tin
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. ground — a position
  21. charge — a price
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — to be able to
  24. clip — to cut

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