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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · last · fan · suit · lean · cap · field · charge

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. field — farmland
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cap — of ice
  5. suit — in cards
  6. field — for sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. cap — a lid
  11. charge — in control
  12. field — a subject
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. firm — steady
  15. charge — a price
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lean — to bend
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cap — a hat
  21. last — final
  22. last — finally
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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