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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. land — to come down
  4. craft — a skill
  5. march — the month
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mug — a face
  9. rule — government
  10. ground — crushed
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. charge — a price
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. land — ground
  19. charge — in control
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — to rob
  22. craft — boats
  23. rule — a law
  24. land — a country

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