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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. season — of the year
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. charge — in control
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rule — a law
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ground — the earth
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rule — government
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. last — to go on
  17. charge — a price
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ground — a position
  22. last — finally
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. last — final

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