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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. suit — in cards
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. object — an aim
  8. file — a document
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — for sport
  11. object — a thing
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. field — farmland
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mine — for digging
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bass — low music
  21. file — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. suit — to fit
  24. object — to protest

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