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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. charge — a price
  7. land — ground
  8. rest — what's left
  9. land — to come down
  10. charge — in control
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fine — all right
  16. toast — bread
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. land — a country
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rest — a break

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