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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. charge — electricity
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stock — goods
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. stock — shares
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rule — a law
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. firm — a company
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rule — government
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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