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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. can — to be able to
  3. charge — a price
  4. bass — low music
  5. can — a tin
  6. last — finally
  7. dip — to sink
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. present — the time now
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. present — there
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. last — to go on
  15. present — a gift
  16. can — a tin
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bass — the fish
  19. last — final
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — in control
  24. racket — a loud noise

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