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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  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 — electricity
  2. net — for catching
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. net — in sport
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. charge — a price
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bat — the animal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. net — after costs
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bat — for baseball
  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