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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. net — for catching
  5. pitch — completely
  6. charge — in control
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. dip — to sink
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. charge — electricity
  13. kid — child
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kid — to tease
  17. charge — a price
  18. net — in sport
  19. rule — a law
  20. net — after costs
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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