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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. charge — a price
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. face — to point toward
  7. march — the month
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. march — the month
  13. wake — a trail
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. craft — boats
  17. march — music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. face — to confront
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. face — part of the head
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. suit — clothes

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