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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. spell — magic
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. spell — a short time
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rash — a series
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. cell — in biology
  21. spell — letters
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cell — a phone

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