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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · suit · bark · mouse · jam · lean · cell · charge

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. lean — thin
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. lean — to bend
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. charge — electricity
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bark — to shout
  10. face — to point toward
  11. suit — to fit
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cell — in biology
  16. face — to confront
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. face — part of the head
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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