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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rest — what's left
  4. drill — army training
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. prune — to trim
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. present — a gift
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. present — there
  17. rest — a break
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chip — to eat
  22. drill — a practice
  23. chip — for betting
  24. charge — in control

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