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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. spell — letters
  3. charge — a price
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spell — a short time
  6. staff — employees
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rash — a series
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. net — in sport
  11. spell — magic
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rest — a break
  14. net — after costs
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — for catching
  17. staff — a stick
  18. charge — electricity
  19. staff — employees
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rest — what's left
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rash — hasty
  24. safe — out of danger

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