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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. charge — electricity
  8. face — to confront
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. scale — in music
  13. charge — a price
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. scale — size or range
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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