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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. charge — in control
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. charge — a price
  5. rule — government
  6. land — a country
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pass — a permit
  10. land — to come down
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. land — ground
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. charge — electricity
  16. snap — to click
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pound — to hit hard

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