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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. wound — an injury
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. can — a tin
  8. key — in music
  9. bound — certain
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — obliged
  17. kid — child
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. can — to be able to
  24. key — for a lock

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