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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rule — government
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. key — in music
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rule — a law
  15. chip — for betting
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chip — to eat
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pound — for dogs

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