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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 120 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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. chest — a box
  3. prune — to trim
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mark — a trace
  6. charge — electricity
  7. shower — rain
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chest — of your body
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mark — a grade
  14. charge — a price
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — for a computer

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