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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. land — a country
  3. mug — a face
  4. charge — in control
  5. land — to come down
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wound — an injury
  8. land — ground
  9. wound — an injury
  10. last — final
  11. cap — a hat
  12. last — finally
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cap — of ice
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mug — a cup
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. mug — to rob
  23. last — to go on
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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