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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. net — after costs
  4. can — a tin
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. ground — the earth
  8. charge — a price
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. chair — a leader
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ground — a position
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. can — to be able to
  19. charge — in control
  20. can — a tin
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ground — crushed
  23. net — for catching
  24. sharp — with an edge

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