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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. charge — a price
  5. lean — thin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. charge — electricity
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fine — high quality
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cold — an illness
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. club — a group
  19. charge — in control
  20. cold — not warm
  21. club — for golf
  22. fine — all right
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. club — for dancing

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