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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mate — a friend
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mate — a partner
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. present — there
  10. press — a publisher
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in biology
  13. press — to push
  14. present — a gift
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. present — the time now
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. press — newspapers
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wax — to grow
  24. charge — a price

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