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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. charge — electricity
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. key — for a lock
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. charge — in control
  11. spring — of water
  12. can — to be able to
  13. key — in music
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rock — music
  18. sharp — clever
  19. spring — the season
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. spring — a coil
  22. key — the most important part
  23. charge — a price
  24. can — a tin

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