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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rule — government
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. charge — in control
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rule — a law
  13. vault — a safe
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. chip — to eat
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. charge — a price
  24. chip — for betting

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