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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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468
Word bank
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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rest — a break
  5. snap — to click
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rest — what's left
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pit — in a race
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rest — what's left
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. charge — in control
  24. pit — a hole

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