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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — electricity
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rule — a law
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. lean — to bend
  8. snap — to click
  9. ball — a great time
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. mine — for digging
  14. charge — in control
  15. rule — government
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. tube — the underground
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rock — music
  23. lean — thin
  24. charge — a price

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