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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. charge — in control
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. clip — a video
  5. club — a group
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. club — for golf
  11. cap — of ice
  12. charge — electricity
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. clip — to cut
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cap — a hat
  18. charge — a price
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cap — a lid
  22. clip — for paper
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitcher — a jug

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