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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. chair — a leader
  4. charge — a price
  5. content — happy
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. vault — a safe
  8. deal — to handle
  9. charge — electricity
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rule — government
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. charge — in control
  21. rule — a law
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pass — a permit
  24. ruler — a monarch

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