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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: suit · pop · date · lean · charge · spell · hide · march

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. charge — in control
  3. date — the fruit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. suit — to fit
  7. spell — letters
  8. lean — to bend
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pop — soda
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. march — the month
  13. charge — a price
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. suit — clothes
  17. march — music
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lean — thin
  22. pop — music
  23. suit — in cards
  24. march — the month

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