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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. content — happy
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bound — tied together
  5. content — the amount
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitch — completely
  8. chest — a box
  9. charge — in control
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bound — obliged
  13. chest — of your body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chest — of your body
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rule — government
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rule — a law
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bound — certain

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