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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. suit — clothes
  4. charge — a price
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. charge — electricity
  8. prune — to trim
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. present — a gift
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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