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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. suit — in cards
  6. season — of the year
  7. lean — to bend
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lean — thin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. season — in sport
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. charge — a price
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rock — a stone
  21. suit — to fit
  22. hand — help
  23. charge — in control
  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