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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — finally
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rash — a series
  6. charge — a price
  7. present — there
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rash — hasty
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. present — the time now
  17. last — to go on
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. charge — in control
  21. present — a gift
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. fan — a supporter

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