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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 124 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bank — for money
  5. land — ground
  6. can — a tin
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. land — a country
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. can — a tin
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. drill — army training
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — a price
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. racket — for tennis

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