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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bank — for money
  7. last — to go on
  8. wound — an injury
  9. last — final
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — a price
  13. bank — for money
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. kick — in football
  17. fork — in a road
  18. last — finally
  19. charge — in control
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. suit — in cards
  24. kick — a thrill

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