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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stock — goods
  3. charge — a price
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — to wash
  6. charge — in control
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bore — to tire
  10. hand — in cards
  11. can — a tin
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — a company
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. can — a tin
  16. firm — decided
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. bore — to drill
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stock — shares
  23. firm — steady
  24. fan — a supporter

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