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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. capital — money
  3. bound — obliged
  4. track — a path
  5. can — a tin
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. track — a song
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bound — tied together
  10. can — a tin
  11. capital — a city
  12. land — ground
  13. land — a country
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bound — certain
  16. land — to come down
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. fork — a garden tool

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