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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tube — a container
  3. wind — moving air
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. spring — the season
  7. bass — the fish
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rule — government
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. spring — of water
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bass — low music
  20. charge — a price
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rule — a law

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