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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. tube — the underground
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — electricity
  5. can — a tin
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. tube — a container
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rock — music
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. content — happy
  13. rock — a stone
  14. can — a tin
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pitch — completely
  21. can — to be able to
  22. charge — a price
  23. dip — to sink
  24. charge — in control

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