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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fine — all right
  6. tear — from crying
  7. fine — high quality
  8. tear — to rip
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. spell — letters
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. spell — magic
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spell — a short time
  18. fine — a penalty

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