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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. craft — boats
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. spell — a short time
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bank — of a river
  10. charge — electricity
  11. spell — letters
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bank — for money
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. pound — a weight
  16. spell — magic
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. rule — government
  20. charge — a price
  21. rule — a law
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — child
  24. bank — for money

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