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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. charge — a price
  4. game — a match
  5. can — to be able to
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. band — a music group
  10. fine — all right
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. craft — a skill
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. can — a tin
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. craft — boats
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. band — a ring
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. game — wild animals

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