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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 124 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rule — government
  4. spring — a coil
  5. charge — a price
  6. present — a gift
  7. charge — in control
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. spring — of water
  10. mark — a grade
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. present — the time now
  19. mark — a trace
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. spring — the season
  23. rule — a law
  24. charge — electricity

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