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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pit — in a race
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — electricity
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. charge — a price
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pit — a hole
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rest — a break
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. hand — help
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. rest — what's left
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. charge — in control
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rest — what's left
  23. hand — in cards
  24. cabinet — ministers

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