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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rule — a law
  3. face — part of the head
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — a position
  7. can — a tin
  8. rule — government
  9. charge — in control
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. present — a gift
  12. face — to confront
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — a price
  15. face — to point toward
  16. present — the time now
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. field — a subject
  19. charge — electricity
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — farmland
  22. fine — all right
  23. present — there
  24. fine — high quality

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