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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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tube — the underground
  3. key — for a lock
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. key — the most important part
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. tube — a container
  13. chair — a leader
  14. wake — a trail
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. key — in music
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. wake — before a funeral

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