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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. charge — electricity
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. charge — in control
  5. cap — of ice
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. drill — a practice
  10. can — a tin
  11. fall — the season
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. drill — the tool
  14. fall — to drop
  15. scale — size or range
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. drill — army training
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ground — crushed
  21. scale — in music
  22. fall — to drop
  23. charge — a price
  24. can — to be able to

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