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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wind — moving air
  5. suit — in cards
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. wind — moving air
  9. toast — bread
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. charge — in control
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. roll — a cake
  18. prune — to trim

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