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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. key — for a lock
  5. press — to push
  6. key — in music
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. clip — for paper
  13. key — the most important part
  14. clip — a video
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. clip — to cut
  18. last — to go on
  19. press — newspapers
  20. last — final
  21. charge — electricity
  22. press — a publisher
  23. charge — in control
  24. last — finally

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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