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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. clip — for paper
  3. charge — a price
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rule — a law
  6. stand — to bear
  7. charge — electricity
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. charge — in control
  10. rule — government
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. clip — to cut
  13. pop — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. vault — a safe
  18. clip — a video
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pop — to visit
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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