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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. track — to keep track
  5. face — to point toward
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. track — a path
  11. suit — in cards
  12. face — part of the head
  13. dip — to sink
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. track — a song
  21. fork — in a road
  22. face — to confront
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. dip — a sauce

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