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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rule — government
  6. kid — child
  7. can — to be able to
  8. row — to paddle
  9. hand — in cards
  10. row — a line
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. charge — a price
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — in control
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. hand — help
  18. can — a tin
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rule — a law
  24. kid — to tease

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