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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 124 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. lean — to bend
  3. file — a document
  4. date — the fruit
  5. fine — high quality
  6. season — of the year
  7. lean — thin
  8. staff — a stick
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. fine — all right
  11. staff — employees
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. charge — in control
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. charge — a price
  16. staff — employees
  17. season — in sport
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. file — a line of people
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. file — a tool
  24. pass — a permit

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