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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 120 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. suit — to fit
  3. charge — in control
  4. staff — employees
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a city
  15. bark — to shout
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. ground — a position
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. capital — a big letter

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