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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.

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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 · wake · suit · staff · press · present · ground · lie

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. press — newspapers
  6. lie — to recline
  7. present — there
  8. charge — in control
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — in cards
  11. press — a publisher
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. present — the time now
  15. staff — employees
  16. ground — crushed
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ground — a position
  19. wake — a trail
  20. present — a gift
  21. ground — the earth
  22. staff — employees
  23. press — to push
  24. staff — a stick

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