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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 116 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bark — to shout
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rule — a law
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rule — government
  11. mug — to rob
  12. charge — electricity
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lean — thin
  15. charge — in control
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. chair — a leader
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mug — a face
  21. bass — low music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bass — the fish

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