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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. charge — in control
  3. row — a line
  4. face — part of the head
  5. charge — a price
  6. can — a tin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wound — an injury
  15. face — to confront
  16. wound — an injury
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. can — a tin
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. face — to point toward
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. hide — to keep secret

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