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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. charge — in control
  5. staff — employees
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cell — in biology
  11. pass — a permit
  12. staff — a stick
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wound — an injury
  15. staff — employees
  16. charge — a price
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ground — a position
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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