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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. foot — a measure
  3. shower — rain
  4. last — to go on
  5. rest — what's left
  6. shower — to wash
  7. staff — employees
  8. charge — a price
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rest — a break
  13. staff — employees
  14. roll — a list
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — electricity
  20. last — final
  21. last — finally
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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