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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. spell — magic
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. spell — a short time
  13. charge — in control
  14. toast — bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. row — to paddle
  17. spell — letters
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pass — to spend time

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