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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
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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: bear · rest · charge · mine · can · hide · hand · race

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rest — what's left
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. race — a contest
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. race — the arms race
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mine — for digging
  16. can — a tin
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. hand — help
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rest — a break
  22. race — humankind
  23. can — a tin
  24. charge — in control

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