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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rule — government
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. band — a music group
  7. can — a tin
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. object — to protest
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. charge — in control
  15. object — a thing
  16. charge — a price
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rule — a law
  20. object — an aim
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. band — a ring
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — farmland

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