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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 124 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. land — ground
  3. kid — child
  4. press — a publisher
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. charge — in control
  7. content — happy
  8. charge — electricity
  9. content — the amount
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mug — to rob
  12. press — to push
  13. rule — government
  14. land — to come down
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. kid — to tease
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. rule — a law
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. charge — a price
  24. land — a country

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