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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. present — there
  4. mark — a grade
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. present — the time now
  9. charge — in control
  10. spell — magic
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. charge — a price
  15. mark — a trace
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. charge — electricity
  19. spell — letters
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. present — a gift
  22. spell — a short time
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — a tight spot

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