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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. cue — for pool
  3. chest — of your body
  4. charge — in control
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mine — for digging
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. charge — a price
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. land — ground
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rush — hurry
  24. chest — of your body

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