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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. charge — in control
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. charge — a price
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. land — a country
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. charge — electricity
  11. suit — clothes
  12. land — to come down
  13. fine — all right
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. chip — to eat
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bass — low music
  23. chip — for betting
  24. fine — high quality

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