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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. charge — electricity
  3. file — a document
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. charge — in control
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rule — government
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. band — a ring
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rush — hurry
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. file — a tool
  19. charge — a price
  20. rule — a law
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pass — a permit
  23. band — a music group
  24. file — a line of people

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