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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. face — to confront
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. charge — in control
  6. game — a match
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. face — part of the head
  9. charge — a price
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. current — electric
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. current — of water
  15. face — to point toward
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rule — a law
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rule — government
  22. game — wild animals
  23. current — happening now
  24. charge — electricity

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