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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fork — in a road
  4. season — in sport
  5. charge — in control
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bass — low music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. charge — electricity
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bass — the fish
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — to succeed

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