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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: charge · bear · march · mate · content · wake · leaves · present

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mate — a partner
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mate — to breed
  7. present — there
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mate — a friend
  10. wake — a trail
  11. content — happy
  12. present — a gift
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. charge — a price
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. present — the time now
  22. content — the amount
  23. march — the month
  24. content — videos and posts

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