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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: ground · can · charge · face · field · mug · suit · mouse

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — clothes
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. face — part of the head
  6. ground — the earth
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mug — a face
  11. field — a subject
  12. mug — to rob
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mug — a cup
  15. field — for sport
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. can — a tin
  20. face — to confront
  21. charge — a price
  22. field — farmland
  23. charge — in control
  24. mouse — for a computer

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