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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rock — a stone
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. charge — in control
  11. firm — a company
  12. land — a country
  13. firm — steady
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cell — in biology
  16. land — to come down
  17. charge — a price
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. land — ground
  20. firm — decided
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cell — a phone
  23. craft — boats
  24. cell — in a prison

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