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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. charge — electricity
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. press — to push
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. land — to come down
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. charge — a price
  9. snap — to click
  10. charge — in control
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. land — ground
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. press — a publisher
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. press — newspapers
  21. dip — to sink
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. dip — a sauce
  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