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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. land — a country
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mug — a cup
  9. race — humankind
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mug — to rob
  13. land — to come down
  14. charge — in control
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. staff — employees
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mug — a face
  21. staff — employees
  22. land — ground
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. race — the arms race

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