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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. staff — employees
  7. cap — a hat
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. fall — the season
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cap — a lid
  13. fall — to drop
  14. staff — a stick
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fall — to drop
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. charge — a price
  24. row — to paddle

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