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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. field — farmland
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. field — a subject
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. can — a tin
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. court — for sport
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. can — to be able to
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. firm — decided
  17. court — of law
  18. pound — a weight
  19. field — for sport
  20. court — of a king
  21. firm — steady
  22. charge — in control
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. firm — a company

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