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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. charge — a price
  3. rule — government
  4. band — a ring
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. band — a music group
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ground — crushed
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. charge — in control
  14. cap — a lid
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cap — a hat
  19. wake — a trail
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. ground — the earth
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ground — a position

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