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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. charge — in control
  3. last — final
  4. last — finally
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cap — of ice
  7. fall — the season
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fall — to drop
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — a price
  14. band — a music group
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. band — a ring
  19. cap — a hat
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. last — to go on
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a lid

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