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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — completely
  4. field — a subject
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. court — for sport
  9. charge — electricity
  10. drill — the tool
  11. charge — a price
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. field — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. field — farmland
  19. rule — a law
  20. drill — army training
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rule — government
  23. court — of a king
  24. charge — in control

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