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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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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: deal · charge · bay · chest · can · pit · bowl · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. chest — a box
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. chest — of your body
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. charge — a price
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pit — in a race
  19. charge — electricity
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — in control
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. chest — of your body

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