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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. present — there
  4. rash — a series
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. present — the time now
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. charge — in control
  12. pass — a permit
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. rash — hasty
  16. present — a gift
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. sharp — clever
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. perch — the fish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. charge — a price
  24. pitch — completely

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