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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. rock — a stone
  3. object — a thing
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lean — thin
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. squash — to crush
  9. can — a tin
  10. charge — in control
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wake — a trail
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rock — music
  19. object — to protest
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. object — an aim
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. charge — a price

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