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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pass — a permit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. court — for sport
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. charge — a price
  12. chair — a leader
  13. prune — to trim
  14. court — of law
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. court — of a king
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. charge — in control
  21. suit — clothes
  22. charge — electricity
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chair — to sit on

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