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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bass — low music
  6. charge — a price
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. can — a tin
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mug — a face
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. march — music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mug — a cup

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