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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. charge — a price
  3. spell — magic
  4. suit — to fit
  5. degree — temperature
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. cue — for pool
  8. charge — electricity
  9. spell — letters
  10. season — of the year
  11. cue — a hint
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. suit — clothes
  15. charge — in control
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. lean — thin
  20. degree — from a university
  21. cue — a signal
  22. degree — an amount
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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