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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. spell — a short time
  3. object — to protest
  4. field — farmland
  5. spell — letters
  6. object — an aim
  7. rule — a law
  8. mug — a face
  9. field — for sport
  10. capital — money
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. field — a subject
  13. capital — a city
  14. rule — government
  15. charge — a price
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spell — magic
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. object — a thing
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mug — a cup
  23. charge — in control
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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