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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. charge — a price
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. scale — size or range
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — to crush
  12. scale — in music
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — in control
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pitch — completely
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. charge — electricity

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