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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. present — the time now
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pass — a permit
  8. present — a gift
  9. mark — a trace
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. present — there
  13. bank — for money
  14. content — the amount
  15. bank — for money
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — a price
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bulb — for light
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. content — happy

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