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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. charge — a price
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. charge — electricity
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pit — a hole
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. charge — in control
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mine — for digging
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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