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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. charge — a price
  6. bear — the animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. charge — in control
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. rash — a series
  24. wave — with your hand

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