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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. rule — government
  3. rash — a series
  4. charge — a price
  5. rash — hasty
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. charge — electricity
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. bass — low music
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rule — a law
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. charge — in control
  20. board — a committee
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bass — the fish
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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