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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. charge — in control
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rule — a law
  6. staff — employees
  7. rule — government
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pound — a weight
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. charge — a price
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bat — the animal
  24. rule — to rule out

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