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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. charge — a price
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. spring — of water
  7. chest — of your body
  8. spring — the season
  9. mate — a friend
  10. court — of a king
  11. mate — to breed
  12. charge — in control
  13. chest — a box
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. charge — electricity
  16. court — of law
  17. chest — of your body
  18. spring — a coil
  19. court — for sport
  20. mate — a partner
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. foot — a measure
  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