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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. kid — child
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rule — a law
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. club — a group
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rash — a series
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. charge — a price
  20. rash — hasty
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. craft — boats
  24. club — for golf

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