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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. ground — a position
  3. charge — a price
  4. mate — to breed
  5. toast — bread
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rule — government
  9. charge — electricity
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rule — a law
  17. charge — in control
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ground — the earth
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. sharp — exactly

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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