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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pit — a hole
  3. ball — a dance
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. charge — electricity
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mate — a partner
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bank — for money
  10. charge — in control
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. charge — a price
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pit — in a race
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. rule — government
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — a law
  24. ball — a round shape

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