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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. staff — employees
  3. club — a group
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. staff — employees
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. charge — a price
  12. fine — all right
  13. bound — obliged
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. club — for dancing
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bound — certain
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — in control
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rush — hurry
  24. club — for golf

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