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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. suit — in cards
  3. sharp — clever
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. field — a subject
  7. bear — the animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. field — farmland
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. suit — clothes
  14. field — for sport
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. object — a thing
  17. charge — a price
  18. object — to protest
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. suit — to fit

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