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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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468
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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. spell — letters
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. scale — in music
  6. charge — a price
  7. spell — magic
  8. pound — a weight
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. row — to paddle
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. row — a line
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. charge — in control
  24. leaves — lets stay

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