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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  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. club — for dancing
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. present — there
  7. race — a contest
  8. club — for golf
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cell — in biology
  11. squash — the sport
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. club — a group
  18. squash — to crush
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. race — humankind
  23. cell — a phone
  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