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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. charge — in control
  4. land — to come down
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. vault — a safe
  8. kick — in football
  9. stock — shares
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. charge — electricity
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rule — government
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. rule — a law
  19. stock — goods
  20. charge — a price
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. plane — a tool
  24. land — ground

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