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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. kid — to tease
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. kid — child
  5. charge — a price
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. charge — in control
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rule — government
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. board — to get on
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. can — a tin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. board — a committee
  20. can — a tin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. charge — electricity
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fan — a supporter

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