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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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. charge — in control
  4. mate — a partner
  5. track — to keep track
  6. charge — electricity
  7. can — to be able to
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. march — music
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rock — a stone
  12. track — a path
  13. deal — to handle
  14. present — a gift
  15. track — a song
  16. march — the month
  17. present — the time now
  18. rock — music
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — there
  23. mate — a friend
  24. march — the month

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