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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. rule — a law
  3. tear — to rip
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. capital — a city
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — crushed
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. capital — money
  12. charge — in control
  13. fine — all right
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rule — government
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. charge — electricity
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ground — a position
  22. fine — high quality
  23. tear — from crying
  24. cell — a phone

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