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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 124 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. fall — to drop
  5. tube — the underground
  6. branch — a division
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. charge — in control
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. charge — a price
  13. fall — the season
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. drill — the tool
  18. tube — a container
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fall — to drop
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wave — with your hand

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