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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pop — music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. charge — in control
  6. suit — clothes
  7. charge — electricity
  8. shower — to wash
  9. last — finally
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pop — to visit
  15. shower — rain
  16. mark — a trace
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pop — soda
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. last — to go on
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. last — final
  24. charge — a price

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