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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rule — government
  6. kid — to tease
  7. charge — electricity
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stock — goods
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rule — a law
  14. kid — child
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. stock — shares
  19. pound — a weight
  20. charge — a price
  21. dip — to sink
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rule — to rule out

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