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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — in cards
  5. charge — in control
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. suit — clothes
  9. season — in sport
  10. scale — size or range
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fine — all right
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. present — the time now
  19. season — of the year
  20. charge — electricity
  21. prune — to trim
  22. present — there
  23. fine — high quality
  24. present — a gift

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