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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wake — a trail
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — there
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. charge — in control
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. present — a gift
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. charge — electricity
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mark — a grade
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fork — in a road
  22. charge — a price
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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