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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. track — a path
  3. can — a tin
  4. suit — in cards
  5. hand — help
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. hand — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. can — a tin
  11. charge — a price
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — to keep track
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stock — shares
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. track — a song
  24. can — to be able to

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