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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chip — for betting
  7. charge — in control
  8. can — to be able to
  9. charge — a price
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mug — a cup
  23. chip — to eat
  24. fork — in a road

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