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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. mug — to rob
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. staff — employees
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. charge — in control
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — there
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mug — a face
  15. pass — a permit
  16. present — the time now
  17. charge — a price
  18. roll — a list
  19. mug — a cup
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. staff — a stick
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ground — the earth
  24. present — a gift

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