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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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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. charge — electricity
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. charge — a price
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. land — a country
  11. ground — a position
  12. staff — a stick
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. land — to come down
  16. stand — to bear
  17. charge — in control
  18. season — in sport
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ground — the earth
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ground — crushed
  23. land — ground
  24. stand — on your feet

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