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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. spring — of water
  3. charge — in control
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. charge — electricity
  6. court — of law
  7. charge — a price
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. spring — a coil
  10. court — for sport
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. court — of a king
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mug — a cup
  18. snap — to click
  19. spring — the season
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rule — government
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mug — a face
  24. calf — of the leg

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