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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. charge — in control
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rest — a break
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bound — certain
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bound — tied together
  18. charge — a price
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rush — a thrill

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