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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 120 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. hand — in cards
  3. charge — in control
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. object — an aim
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. object — to protest
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wax — to grow
  17. present — a gift
  18. object — a thing
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. pass — a permit
  21. charge — a price
  22. hand — help
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cell — a phone

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