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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — a law
  3. charge — a price
  4. cue — a hint
  5. dip — to sink
  6. charge — electricity
  7. degree — from a university
  8. current — happening now
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. charge — in control
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. current — electric
  13. cue — for pool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cue — a signal
  18. degree — temperature
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. suit — in cards
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. suit — clothes
  23. current — of water
  24. degree — an amount

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