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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — in cards
  6. charge — in control
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. object — to protest
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. band — a ring
  11. root — the cause
  12. object — a thing
  13. root — of a word
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ball — a dance
  19. object — an aim
  20. suit — to fit
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ball — a great time
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. band — a music group

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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