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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wake — a trail
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rule — a law
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — for catching
  12. charge — a price
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rule — government
  17. charge — in control
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. net — after costs
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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