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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. suit — clothes
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. charge — in control
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. snap — to click
  8. race — humankind
  9. row — to paddle
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. race — a contest
  16. charge — electricity
  17. race — the arms race
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. charge — a price
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. suit — in cards
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. row — a line

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