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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rash — a series
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. tear — to rip
  9. spell — magic
  10. tear — from crying
  11. spell — letters
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rash — hasty
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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