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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. charge — in control
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. net — after costs
  7. charge — a price
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kid — child
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — of ice
  14. can — a tin
  15. cap — a hat
  16. net — for catching
  17. can — a tin
  18. cap — a lid
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. net — in sport
  22. kid — to tease
  23. charge — electricity
  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