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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. march — the month
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. field — farmland
  10. charge — a price
  11. fine — high quality
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. shower — rain
  15. fine — all right
  16. face — to confront
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. field — a subject
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. field — for sport
  21. shower — to wash
  22. row — to paddle
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. temple — a place of worship

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