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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. field — farmland
  5. ball — a great time
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. field — a subject
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rush — hurry
  13. field — for sport
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. charge — a price
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. chair — a leader
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. charge — in control
  24. chair — a professorship

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