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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pass — a permit
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rule — government
  6. club — for dancing
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rule — a law
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bulb — for light
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — for golf
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. club — a group

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