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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. charge — a price
  3. sharp — clever
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. chair — a leader
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. net — after costs
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. charge — in control
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. net — for catching
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. spell — magic
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. net — in sport
  21. spell — a short time
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. spell — letters

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