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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rule — government
  3. season — in sport
  4. charge — electricity
  5. can — to be able to
  6. suit — clothes
  7. season — of the year
  8. rule — a law
  9. race — humankind
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. race — a contest
  13. fall — the season
  14. kid — to tease
  15. kid — child
  16. can — a tin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. race — the arms race
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. fall — to drop

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