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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 120 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. saw — the tool
  11. club — for dancing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. club — for golf
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. club — a group
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pass — a permit
  21. charge — electricity
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — in control

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