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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. spell — letters
  3. charge — a price
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fall — to drop
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fall — the season
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — to get on
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — in control
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — a committee
  16. spell — a short time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spell — magic

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