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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. firm — decided
  4. mug — a cup
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mug — a face
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. charge — in control
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. charge — a price
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. firm — a company
  19. chair — a leader
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mug — to rob
  24. firm — steady

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