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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.

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: mark · bay · leaves · suit · charge · fan · cell · file

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. suit — to fit
  3. file — a document
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mark — a trace
  8. file — a tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. charge — electricity
  14. file — a line of people
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cell — a phone
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cell — in biology
  22. suit — clothes
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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