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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.

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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: charge · jam · staff · present · wake · leaves · sharp · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. present — the time now
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. present — there
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. charge — electricity
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pound — a weight
  10. staff — a stick
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. staff — employees
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wake — a trail
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. charge — in control
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. charge — a price
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. present — a gift
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. staff — employees

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