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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 120 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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. charge — a price
  6. rock — music
  7. present — the time now
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. present — there
  12. track — a song
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rule — a law
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. present — a gift
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. track — a path
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. charge — in control

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