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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. suit — to fit
  5. content — happy
  6. charge — in control
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. content — the amount
  9. suit — in cards
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lean — thin
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. snap — to click
  17. charge — a price
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. suit — clothes
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rush — hurry

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