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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.

Words on the sheet
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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. chair — a leader
  5. present — a gift
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. charge — in control
  13. mark — a trace
  14. snap — to click
  15. present — the time now
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. season — in sport
  20. charge — a price
  21. present — there
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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