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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. spell — a short time
  3. present — a gift
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. present — there
  8. stand — to bear
  9. charge — electricity
  10. spell — magic
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. craft — boats
  18. cell — a phone
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. prune — to trim
  21. craft — a skill
  22. spell — letters
  23. present — the time now
  24. prune — the fruit

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