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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lie — to recline
  3. present — a gift
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. charge — a price
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. spell — magic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spell — letters
  17. rush — hurry
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — the time now
  22. charge — in control
  23. chair — a leader
  24. charge — electricity

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