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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. land — to come down
  4. charge — in control
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. land — a country
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. can — to be able to
  11. land — ground
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. can — a tin
  20. charge — a price
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — magic

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