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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. staff — employees
  4. tube — a container
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. staff — employees
  9. charge — electricity
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. charge — a price
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. last — finally
  14. spell — magic
  15. staff — a stick
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. date — the fruit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. suit — to fit

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