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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mate — a friend
  3. charge — a price
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — in control
  6. staff — employees
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mate — a partner
  10. staff — a stick
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. spell — magic
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mate — to breed
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. staff — employees
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. spell — letters
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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