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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. club — for dancing
  3. file — a line of people
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mark — a trace
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. file — a document
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for golf
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. charge — in control
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. file — a tool
  24. mark — a grade

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