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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. court — of law
  3. cap — a hat
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rule — government
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. court — of a king
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. charge — in control
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rule — a law
  16. rash — a series
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. charge — a price
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. court — for sport
  23. dip — to sink
  24. rash — hasty

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