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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. suit — to fit
  4. land — a country
  5. chip — to eat
  6. cell — a phone
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cell — in biology
  9. charge — electricity
  10. land — to come down
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. branch — a division
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. fine — all right
  15. suit — clothes
  16. land — ground
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chip — in a computer

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