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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. charge — electricity
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. firm — steady
  5. mug — a face
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. march — music
  8. firm — decided
  9. mine — for digging
  10. charge — a price
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. march — the month
  13. bark — to shout
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. firm — a company
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rush — hurry
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. snap — to click
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. march — the month
  24. charge — in control

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