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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · kid · bear · face · racket · mine · charge · fan

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bear — the animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mine — for digging
  9. kid — child
  10. charge — in control
  11. bear — the animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. face — to confront
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. kid — to tease
  21. face — part of the head
  22. charge — a price
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. face — to point toward

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