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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. pitch — completely
  3. charge — a price
  4. stem — to come from
  5. charge — in control
  6. cap — a lid
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bound — certain
  9. can — a tin
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bound — tied together
  12. charge — electricity
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fork — to eat with
  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