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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. charge — in control
  3. can — a tin
  4. suit — in cards
  5. squash — the sport
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. suit — to fit
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. firm — decided
  10. suit — clothes
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. squash — to crush
  15. shower — rain
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. firm — a company
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. shower — to wash

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