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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. charge — electricity
  3. last — finally
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. last — to go on
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. charge — in control
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pass — a permit
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. charge — a price
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fine — high quality
  17. last — final
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — child
  21. fine — all right
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. current — electric
  24. stand — on your feet

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