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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. field — a subject
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. field — farmland
  5. cue — for pool
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pop — music
  11. land — ground
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. field — for sport
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pop — to visit
  19. land — to come down
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pop — soda
  22. land — a country
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. charge — in control

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