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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. object — an aim
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — to protest
  5. can — a tin
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. net — after costs
  8. charge — a price
  9. ground — crushed
  10. charge — in control
  11. cap — of ice
  12. ground — the earth
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cap — a hat
  17. can — to be able to
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cap — a lid
  20. net — for catching
  21. ground — a position
  22. object — a thing
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — in a race

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