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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. staff — a stick
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rule — a law
  20. staff — employees
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. rule — government

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