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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. band — a music group
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. object — a thing
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. land — ground
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. object — an aim
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. chair — a leader
  21. land — to come down
  22. object — to protest
  23. land — a country
  24. charge — a price

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