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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — a price
  5. perch — the fish
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fork — in a road
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. row — a line
  13. staff — employees
  14. spell — magic
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. charge — electricity
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. spell — letters

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