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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lean — thin
  5. file — a line of people
  6. spell — a short time
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. spell — magic
  9. file — a document
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spell — letters
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. suit — in cards
  15. club — a group
  16. shower — to wash
  17. file — a tool
  18. lean — to bend
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. club — for dancing
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. shower — rain
  23. charge — a price
  24. club — for golf

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