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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. season — of the year
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. charge — in control
  5. fall — to drop
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. season — in sport
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rule — government
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rule — a law
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  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