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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · pop · row · can · charge · present · court · rash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rash — hasty
  5. court — of law
  6. court — of a king
  7. pop — soda
  8. present — there
  9. pop — music
  10. present — a gift
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — in control
  13. row — a line
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rash — a series
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pop — to visit
  19. charge — a price
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. charge — electricity
  22. present — the time now
  23. court — for sport
  24. can — a tin

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