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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · staff · ball · charge · race · pitcher · can · press

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. staff — employees
  5. race — humankind
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. race — a contest
  11. charge — a price
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. charge — electricity
  14. staff — employees
  15. ball — a great time
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — to be able to
  19. staff — a stick
  20. can — a tin
  21. charge — in control
  22. race — the arms race
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitcher — a jug

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