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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. land — a country
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — to point toward
  8. content — happy
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. content — the amount
  11. land — ground
  12. face — part of the head
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. charge — a price
  16. land — to come down
  17. charge — in control
  18. face — to confront
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pop — music
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pop — soda
  24. cue — a signal

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